* Press release…
Constellation and Meta have signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the output of the Clinton Clean Energy Center to support Meta’s clean energy goals and operations in the region with 1,121 megawatts of emissions-free nuclear energy. Beginning in June of 2027, the agreement supports the relicensing and continued operations of Constellation’s high-performing Clinton nuclear facility for another two decades after the state’s ratepayer funded zero emission credit (ZEC) program expires. This deal will expand Clinton’s clean energy output by 30 megawatts through plant uprates; preserve 1,100 high-paying local jobs; deliver $13.5 million in annual tax revenue; and add $1 million in charitable giving to local nonprofits over five years. […]
The Clinton Clean Energy Center was slated for premature closure in 2017 after years of financial losses, despite being one of the best performing nuclear plants in Illinois. Clinton’s retirement was prevented by enactment of the Future Energy Jobs Act, which established a Zero Emission Credit program that provides financial support to the plant through mid-2027. Constellation’s agreement with Meta is a market-based solution that essentially replaces the ZEC program and ensures long-term operations of the plant without ratepayer support. The PPA will enable the Clinton Clean Energy Center to continue to flow power onto the local grid, providing grid reliability and low-cost power to the region for decades to come. Meta is purchasing the plant’s clean energy attributes as part of its commitment to match 100% of its electricity use with clean and renewable energy.
The Clinton Clean Energy Center’s economic and environmental impacts are significant. The Center directly employs over 530 people, contributes approximately $13.5 million in annual taxes, and generates enough carbon-free electricity to power over 800,000 homes. An analysis by The Brattle Group found that shuttering Clinton would raise emissions by more than 34 million metric tons of carbon over 20 years, the equivalent to putting approximately 7.4 million gasoline-powered cars on the road for a year. The same report found that Illinois’ GDP would drop by $765 million annually, impacting businesses and jobs across multiple industries. Constellation’s deal with Meta prevents these impacts.
…Adding… FERC shot down the last attempt to do this…
On 1 November 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected amendments to an interconnection agreement that would have increased the Susquehanna nuclear power plant’s capacity dedicated to serving an on-site data center. Three commissioners participated in the decision. The order, written by Republicans Mark Christie and Lindsay See, concluded that the grid operator failed to meet the high burden of proving the necessity of the amendments. Democratic Chairman Willie Phillips dissented, arguing that the co-located load configuration presented exactly the reliability and legal issues that justified the need for the amendments. The remaining two Democratic commissioners, David Rosner and Judy Chang, did not participate in the decision.
* Meanwhile, the Sun-Times took a look at why the omnibus energy bill failed to pass this spring…
Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Democrat who represents the Southwest Side and surrounding suburbs, said he hopes to try again to pass a bill when the Legislature meets for the fall veto session.
“We are very close to an agreement,” Cunningham said.
Phillip Golden, chairman of Illinois Industrial Energy Consumers, suggests the state look at how Texas is funding renewable energy and battery storage with a mix of financial tools that don’t require ratepayers to foot the bill. His organization represents 20 of the state’s biggest power users, he said.
Jim Watson, a former state lawmaker who heads the Illinois branch of the American Petroleum Institute, also cited Texas as a potential model for Illinois. While his members want relief from the rising electric bills, “I think the pause was reasonable,” he said, referring to the decision to not push the bill toward a vote.
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