[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Even with the clean air contributions of its current nuclear energy facilities, Illinois is expected to decrease its CO2 emissions by 31 percent by 2030 under the U.S. EPA’s pending Clean Power Plan – the equivalent of removing 5.7 million cars off the road, or more than all of the current passenger cars in the state. Losing any nuclear energy facilities would be a major setback. Here are the facts about nuclear energy in Illinois:

o Nuclear energy is the single greatest provider of clean air energy in Illinois, producing 92 percent of the state’s carbon-free electricity.

o To replace the carbon-free electricity produced by just one nuclear facility, Illinois would have to build a solar farm larger than Springfield or install windmills five miles deep along the state’s entire shoreline of Lake Michigan.

o If all of Illinois’ nuclear energy facilities were to close, it would result in a 130-million megawatt-hour shortage of carbon-free electricity – enough to power more than 11 million homes or twice the number of homes in Illinois!

Nuclear is an irreplaceable part of Illinois’ energy portfolio. Click here to learn more about the value of nuclear energy and its importance to Illinois in meeting the EPA’s Clean Power Plan requirements.

- CASEnergy Coalition