- FONTANA, California (AP)
- Two men have been arrested for allegedly trying to extort $92,000 from
an Arizona nuclear plant in return for the power plant parts for which
they were sent to determine the cost of repairs, authorities said.
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- Kevin Mitlo, 20, and Tony Mitchell, 31, were arrested
Friday and booked for investigation of extortion, grand theft and conspiracy,
and were jailed on $2 million bail each, authorities said Monday.
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- The reactor cooling parts - worth $3 million - were recovered
at a truck stop where they had arranged to meet plant officials. The parts
weigh 45,000 pounds (20,250 kilograms) and required a 45-foot-long (13.5-meter-long)
flatbed trailer for hauling.
-
- The Palo Verde Nuclear Power Generating Station, located
55 miles (88 kilometers) west of Phoenix, supplies power to 4 million customers
in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and California.
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- Jim McDonald, a spokesman for Arizona Public Service,
which operates the plant, refused to comment.
-
- Steve Brownell, a local detective, said each of Palo
Verde's nuclear reactors has two enormous water pumps for cooling, and
their parts routinely require refurbishing.
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