Exelon Generation files decommission plans for Byron, Dresden nuclear plants in Illinois

Blaming low energy prices and market policies that favor fossil fuel plants, Exelon Generation announced this week that it will file Post Shutdown Decommissioning Activity Reports with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the retirement of the Byron and Dresden nuclear facilities.

Both sites are set to retire this fall due to revenue shortfalls accumulating in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The decommissioning reports will provide the long-term site restoration plans for what happens after. Regional grid operator PJM confirmed that both Byron and Dresden can be shut down without risk to the larger grid.

“With no signs of a breakthrough on clean energy legislation in Springfield, we have no choice but to take these final steps in preparation for shutting down the plants,” Dave Rhoades, Exelon Generation Chief Nuclear Officer, said. “We will never stop fighting for policies to preserve Illinois’ nuclear fleet, knowing that the minute these plants close, our customers will experience dirtier air and higher energy costs. But with time running out, we must plan for the future and do everything we can to prepare our employees and the communities they serve for what lies ahead.”

Exelon will nevertheless have up to 60 years to restore the Byron and Dresden sites as part of the decommissioning process by transporting used fuel to long-term storage, decontaminating, removing plant components, and demolishing remaining structures. Its employees do not have that much time, though — the company now plans to issue job reduction notifications to the facilities, cutting staff from nearly 1,500 employees to just 30-40 employees over the coming decade.

Exelon is advocating for policymakers to change the law in ways that would preserve these two plants, as well as the Braidwood and LaSalle nuclear facilities, which it said will likely follow into retirement over the next few years. Closing just Byron and Dresden would, however, cut a regular provider of 28,000 direct and indirect jobs, as well as $3.5 billion annually pumped into the Illinois economy, according to Exelon. The closure will likely also push Illinois to greater reliance on fossil fuel, and the company argued it would lead to the equivalent of putting 4.4 million additional cars on the road in terms of carbon emissions and other air pollutants.

As of now, Byron is scheduled to shut down in September, followed by Dresden in November.