Upgrades at Constellation nuclear plants ensure carbon-free electricity during summer months
Technology upgrade and equipment maintenance at the Constellation nuclear plants this spring will ensure the company’s nuclear fleet can provide safe, affordable, carbon-free electricity to its more than 15 million customers this summer.
Performed by more than 13,000 workers during refueling outages this spring, the upgrades and maintenance are designed to prepare the plants for the summer and periods of high heat and/or humidity, the company said.
“Constellation is helping accelerate this country’s transition to a carbon-free future, and it begins with our zero emissions nuclear fleet running nonstop through the summer,” said Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation. “We met our commitment to operational excellence last winter by keeping our plants running throughout the cold months despite challenging weather conditions. Our investments in the plants this spring will help us maintain that level of performance during the upcoming summer months, as the climate crisis continues to produce extremely hot weather.”
Workers replaced or refurbished dozens of pumps and motors and performed quality assurance inspections on reactor and fuel components. The refueling outages also allowed workers to complete thousands of technical tasks that will ensure the power plants can provide uninterrupted electricity for up to two years.
The company said that nuclear reliability will be especially important in moderating electricity prices. Constellation’s 24/7 carbon-free baseload nuclear power would displace power generated by fossil-fuel plants that could see further increases in the cost of gas and oil.
Work performed included an overhaul and inspection of the turbine on one of the redundant core cooling systems at Quad Cities Unit 2, as well as a full technical inspection of the Byron Station Unit 2 main generator and a comprehensive inspection of two reactor recirculation flow control valves at LaSalle County Generating Station in Illinois. Crews also worked on the Calvert Cliffs Station in Maryland, the Limerick Station in Pennsylvania, and Nine Mile Point in New York.
“We carefully schedule these important upgrades, maintenance activities, and technical inspections during periods of lower power demand to ensure our carbon-free nuclear units remain online 24/7 through the blistering summer months ahead,” said Tim Hanley, chief operating officer at Constellation.
