Exelon nuclear plants put to test by hottest Illinois summer on record
Amid record summer heat in Illinois, Exelon Generation reports that all six of its nuclear plants ran around the clock, at near full power, to keep the lights on for approximately 11 million homes and businesses in the state over three months.
“Our nuclear facilities are among the most reliable power plants in the country, and we know how important it is for them to be available during extremely hot weather conditions,” Shane Marik, senior vice president of Midwest Operations for Exelon Generation, said. “Thank you to our more than 4,700 full-time Illinois nuclear employees for working hard in the heat to keep our fleet delivering carbon-free energy that protects customers from the harmful carbon and air pollution that would have resulted from fossil-fuel fired plants that would have run in their place.”
All six plants undertook the challenge without incident, showcasing a high reliability rate. This was the case last year, as, during the summer, these plans managed to operate 98.9 percent of the time. They have continued operation through summer and winter alike, thanks to year-long planning, preparation, and maintenance of the facilities.
Over spring months, Exelon workers assess backup generators and spare equipment to guarantee operation during hotter days. These inspections include testing and repairs throughout plant systems.
However, Exelon warns that despite the high performance and success shown by these facilities over the last few years, the company intends to retire two of them in 2021: the Byron and Dresden nuclear plants. While the twin plants provide around 30 percent of the state’s carbon-free energy and employ more than 1,500 people, Exelon Generation reports that it cannot continue to operate them in the face of revenue shortfalls to the tune of millions of dollars.
