Nuclear Matters hails Exelon purchase of New York nuclear plant

Nuclear Matters hailed an announcement on Tuesday that Exelon Generation has agreed to assume ownership and operations of Entergy Corporation’s at-risk James A. FitzPatrick nuclear power plant in Scriba, New York.

“Today’s news is a welcome testament to the real results that effective public policy can help drive,” Nuclear Matters said. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo in working with New York’s Public Service Commission (PSC) to enact a Clean Energy Standard (CES), and Exelon and Entergy’s cooperation, the FitzPatrick nuclear power plant, which was once in danger of shutting down prematurely, can now continue to operate and bring its many economic and reliability benefits to New York. 

“As energy stakeholders and policymakers move forward, they should keep in mind that the sale of FitzPatrick is in the best interest of all stakeholders, including employees, owners, customers, and communities. And as other states consider policy solutions that help them meet their clean energy goals, they should look to the New York CES as a model for how to maintain a low-carbon energy portfolio that meets the energy needs we have today while allowing us to work towards our greater and greener energy goals of tomorrow.”

The FitzPatrick plant employs approximately 600 local workers, supplying carbon-free energy to more than 800,000 homes in upstate New York. The nuclear plants in the state account for approximately 61 percent of electricity generation, with zero carbon emissions.

Following the passage of the New York CES, Exelon announced that it would invest $400-500 million in nuclear operations throughout upstate New York.