Exelon to retire Three Mile Island nuclear generating station in 2019
Exelon recently announced that it would prematurely retire the Three Mile Island Generating Station
(TMI), a nuclear power plant located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on or around September 30, 2019 absent pertinent policy reforms.
The company is currently taking the first steps toward the early shutdown, including making permanent shutdown notifications to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), informing key stakeholders, terminating capital investment projects and canceling 2019 fuel purchase and outage plans.
“Today is a difficult day, not just for the 675 talented men and women who have dedicated themselves to operating Three Mile Island safely and reliably every day, but also for their families, the communities and customers who depend on this plant to produce clean energy and support local jobs,” Exelon President and CEO Chris Crane said.
In its press release announcing the closing, Exelon cited a lack of favorable policies as a major reason for the early retirement of the plant. In the release, the company suggested amending Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard to include nuclear power or establishing a zero emissions credit program in order to preserve the state’s nuclear facilities, which produce 93 percent of the Commonwealth’s emissions-free electricity.
“Like New York and Illinois before it, the Commonwealth has an opportunity to take a leadership role by implementing a policy solution to preserve its nuclear energy facilities and the clean, reliable energy and good-paying jobs they provide,” Cane said. “We are committed to working with all stakeholders to secure Pennsylvania’s energy future, and will do all we can to support the community, the employees and their families during this difficult period.”
