Exelon Meeting: How the New Generation Energy Plan Affects Illinois
Exelon is at a pivotal point where the continued operation of two plants, Quad Cities and Clinton, hinges on the legislative decisions of Springfield, Ill., at the end of May.
The Next Generation Energy Plan (NGEP-Senate Bill 1585) is currently before the Illinois legislature, which can help keep Clinton and Quad Cities operating. Illinois residents are being encouraged to use the Take Action link on the Nuclear Powers Illinois website to contact their state representatives through the vote "yes" to keep the plants alive and keep Illinois as the leader in clean energy. The bill also supports renewable development.
On May 17, Tim Hanley, senior vice president of Nuclear Projects at Exelon Generation, spoke to nearly 50 meeting attendees from the ANS Chicago Local Section at Exelon's Cantera location west of Chicago. The timing provided a real-time snapshot of Exelon's need for this bill to be approved before the May 31 deadline, when the Illinois legislature is expected to end its session.
Hanley described why both nuclear plants depend on this legislation based on their economic situation. He made it abundantly clear that Exelon was operating these plants to high standards and that there are no technical concerns with these plants. He stressed that Quad Cities and Clinton operate at impressive capacity factors and are financially efficient. Even with such stellar credentials, the forces of power-pricing and grid dynamics and subsidies to competing electricity generators were enough to drain revenue from the two plants. The solution of NGEP would introduce a Zero Emission Standard, which is described on the Nuclear Powers Illinois website. This solution is described as targeted, innovative, and focused on the at-risk nuclear plants. It also shows that one of the biggest benefits is that nuclear power generation does not result in carbon dioxide emissions.
Even though these two plants are at a tipping point, Hanley reminded attendees that there is still time to act to keep Clinton and Quad Cities operating with the NGEP bill. The Quad Cities nuclear power plant is a two-unit plant on the border of Illinois and Iowa. Clinton nuclear power plant is a single unit plant in central Illinois approximately 40 miles west of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The passing of the proposed bill would allow both plants to continue operation and would result in only about a $0.25/month increase in electric bills. On the flip side, if the bill does not pass, Clinton will close as of May 2017 and Quad Cities will close in May 2018. Without them, if the Clean Power Plan is eventually implemented, Illinois will not be able to meet its carbon reduction goals.
Together let's raise our voices and keep our Illinois nuclear power plants open!