Exelon’s Illinois nuclear plants set operational records amid refueling outages during COVID-19 pandemic

Of the six Illinois nuclear plants owned by Exelon Generation, four have undergone refueling outages during the COVID-10 pandemic, and each one set operational records while doing so.

These plants power more than 11 million Illinois homes, hospitals, and businesses, so their work is among those deemed essential by the state. However, they need to conduct refueling outages every 18 to 24 months, with a minimum of 1,500 to 2,000 employees and contractors on hand to perform the various inspections, maintenance tasks, and tests involved in the process. But Exelon says work at Braidwood, Byron, LaSalle, and Quad Cities managed to complete their efforts with proactive measures in place to guarantee workers’ safety.

“Exelon Generation went above and beyond to protect everyone who came onsite during an outage so our workers could complete critical maintenance work,” Terry McGoldrick, president of IBEW Local 15, said. “Our folks worked hard to support these essential refuelings while protecting each other and the community, and we’re proud of them.”

Safety measures included pre-entry screenings and body temperature checks, enhanced cleaning and sanitization efforts, and a mix of social distancing, remote operations, and staggered shift turnovers. As a result, the company reported only a few confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the outage season.

As for the work itself, the average outage duration was 17 days — a full two weeks shorter than the national average. LaSalle managed its refueling in 18 days, while Quad Cities completed it in just 16 after its longest continuous run — 722 days. Byron and Braidwood also set records for completing their sixth consecutive continuous cycle of operations.

“The essential workers who operate, maintain and refuel Exelon’s Illinois nuclear stations delivered a heroic performance this spring,” Bryan Hanson, Exelon Generation’s president and chief nuclear officer, said. “Not only did they perform the required outage work safely and effectively, but they did it in record time while preventing the spread of COVID-19.”