Nuclear facilities in Arkansas, Illinois go offline for planned refueling, maintenance

Nuclear facilities in Arkansas and Illinois were briefly taken out of service last week for regular refueling and maintenance operations.

Arkansas Nuclear One’s Unit 1 was taken out of service on Oct. 5 for a scheduled refueling.

During the refueling outage, plant workers will perform maintenance and testing activities to prepare the station for its next operating cycle. The work will be done by more than 1,100 Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO) full-time employees as well as contract workers and employees from other nuclear plants. The influx of more than 1,200 contract workers, many from outside the area, will provide an economic boost to the local communities.

“Refuel outages are necessary to refuel the plant, allowing us to provide safe and reliable electricity in a cost-effective manner. These outages provide an economic boost for local businesses and temporary housing providers,” John Dinelli, ANO site vice president, said. ANO, owned by Entergy Corp., houses two nuclear reactors. Unit 2 will continue operating during the Unit 1 refueling.

Also, Exelon’s Braidwood Generating Station in Braceville, Ill., took Unit 1 out of service this week for a planned refueling. The refueling outage will bring more than 1,400 additional workers to the region. Electricians, pipefitters, welders, carpenters, laborers, and other tradespeople traveled to Braidwood to conduct inspections, tests, maintenance activities, equipment upgrades, and modifications that cannot be done while Unit 1 is online.

“Our community relies on the Braidwood outage boost,” Tony Altiery, city administrator for the City of Braidwood, said. “Business is already booming here. You see more people at gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, and even the local banks and barbershops. The city enjoys a significant increase in sales tax revenue while these workers are here.”

Braidwood’s Unit 2 will continue to operate during the Unit 1 outage.

“The maintenance activities and equipment upgrades completed during this outage will ensure Braidwood Station continues operating at world-class levels for years to come,” Braidwood Site Vice President Marri Marchionda-Palmer said. “Our employees and contractors work hard during outages and take a lot of pride in providing Illinois with reliable, zero-carbon energy.”

Braidwood Station is located 20 miles southwest of Joliet. It has been producing carbon-free electricity for more than two million residents and businesses since 1988.