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* Maybe they should should just sell the plants and let somebody else try to make some money off of them…
Exelon Generation announced today that it intends to retire its Byron Generating Station and Dresden Generating Station in fall 2021, resulting in the loss of four nuclear generation units that together supply clean, zero-emissions energy to more than four million homes and businesses in northern Illinois. Byron, located just outside Byron, Ill., will close in September 2021, and Dresden, located in Morris, Ill., will close in November 2021.
Dresden is licensed to operate for another decade and Byron for another 20 years. Together, they employ more than 1,500 full-time employees and 2,000 supplemental workers during refueling outages, most from local union halls. The plants pay nearly $63 million in taxes annually to support local schools, fire, police and other services. The two plants supply 30 percent of Illinois’ carbon-free energy and are essential to meeting the state’s goal to achieve 100 percent clean energy.
“Although we know in our heads that shutting down the uneconomic Illinois plants is necessary to preserve even more jobs elsewhere, our hearts ache today for the thousands of talented women and men that have served Illinois families for more than a generation and will lose their jobs because of poorly conceived energy policies,” said Christopher Crane, president and CEO of Exelon. “But we are only about a year away from shutdown and we need to give our people, the host communities, and regulators time to prepare.”
“We recognize this comes as many of our communities are still recovering from the economic and public health impacts of the pandemic, and we will continue our dialogue with policymakers on ways to prevent these closures,” said Crane. “To that end, we have opened our books to policymakers and will continue to do so for any lawmaker who wishes to judge the plants’ profitability.”
“We agree with Governor Pritzker that policy reform is urgently needed to address the climate crisis and advance Illinois’ clean energy economy, and we support the objectives of the Governor’s recent energy principles,” added Crane. “That’s separate from today’s announcement to retire these two zero-carbon nuclear plants, which was not a decision made lightly and is one that has been in the works for some time.”
Despite being among the most efficient and reliable units in the nation’s nuclear fleet, Dresden and Byron face revenue shortfalls in the hundreds of millions of dollars because of declining energy prices and market rules that allow fossil fuel plants to underbid clean resources in the PJM capacity auction, even though there is broad public support for sustaining and expanding clean energy resources to address the climate crisis. The plants’ economic challenges are further exacerbated by a recent FERC ruling that undermines longstanding state clean energy programs and gives an additional competitive advantage to polluting energy sources in the auction. As a result of these market rules, Exelon Generation’s LaSalle and Braidwood nuclear stations in Illinois, each of which house two nuclear units and together employ more than 1,500 skilled workers, are also at high risk for premature closure.
Studies have shown that when nuclear plants close, plants that burn fossil fuels operate much more often, increasing harmful carbon and air pollution, especially in disadvantaged communities. In January 2019, Illinois committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the targets set in the Paris climate agreement. While the state is currently at roughly 85 percent progress towards the 2025 goal, if the four economically challenged nuclear plants (Dresden, Byron, Braidwood and LaSalle) prematurely retire, Illinois will drop to only 20 percent of the way toward the goal. Electric sector emissions in Illinois will increase by 70 percent.
Despite these consequences, Exelon Generation must act now to prevent further shortfalls and give its employees, contractors and community partners time to prepare for the loss of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in taxes, donations and local purchasing. The notification also is necessary to give PJM enough time to conduct an analysis confirming that retiring Byron and Dresden will not cause a shortage of generating capacity in northern Illinois during times of peak demand.
In the days and weeks ahead, Exelon Generation will file a deactivation notice with PJM and inform key stakeholders and regulatory agencies of the retirements. In addition, the company will:
Make official shutdown notifications to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission within 30 days;
Terminate capital investment projects required for long term operation of Dresden and Byron; and
Scale back the refueling outages scheduled for this fall at Dresden and Byron. The move will result in spending reductions of $50 million and the elimination of up to 1,400 of the more than 2,000 mostly union jobs typically associated with the two refueling outages.While retirement preparations are underway, employees will continue to operate the plants at world-class levels of safety and operational excellence until they are decommissioned. Exelon Generation will work to place affected plant employees at other Exelon facilities or help them transition to positions outside the company, wherever possible.
…Adding… Press release…
In response to Exelon’s decision that it is closing two nuclear power plants, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort), who chairs the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, released the following statement:
“It’s truly unfortunate that Exelon has announced two plant closures during the middle of a pandemic. The negative economic impact of these closures cannot be understated. The Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee has been committed to working on legislation and consumer assistance since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and we remain committed to working with the men and women of organized labor and all stakeholders to find solutions to secure the future of clean energy in Illinois.”
…Adding… Press release…
Illinois PIRG director Abe Scarr made the following statement in response:
“The era of Exelon holding Illinois’ energy policy hostage must end.
“Exelon’s threats underline the importance of Gov. Pritzker’s call for Exelon to provide certified costs in an independent financial report before securing new subsidies.
“Any additional support for Exelon’s aging, expensive power plants must come within a comprehensive plan to transition Illinois to 100 percent renewable energy, including firm closure dates for nuclear power plants.”
* Related…
* CEJA pushed to back burner by COVID
*** UPDATE 1 *** Illinois Senate President Don Harmon agrees with me, apparently…
Independent market monitors believe these plants can be profitable. I intend to look into legislative options including requiring these plants be put up for sale before they can be shuttered. We owe it to these workers and communities to see if someone else can successfully run these assets.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Jordan Abudayyeh…
First, let’s remember that Exelon already receives a ratepayer-funded subsidy of $235 million dollars per year to run nuclear plants in Illinois. While they couch their messaging in their desire for a clean energy future, their primary purpose is to dramatically increase those subsidies on behalf of their shareholders. Like the Governor said earlier this year, transitioning to a clean renewable energy economy is a top priority for his administration, but the utility companies will not write the legislation to get the state there. The Governor has been clear that establishing a program to reward clean energy sources and phase out dirty energy is a critical part of any comprehensive energy framework, but that framework needs to be developed based on a transparent understanding of the economics involved with the nuclear plants. Any financial benefit to the nuclear plants must be right-sized and protect Illinois ratepayers.
We have seen these threats before, and this time Exelon’s threats will need to be backed up by a thorough and transparent review of their finances – including why the profits of the company as a whole cannot cover alleged operating losses at a few plants. The administration looks forward to working with lawmakers and stakeholders to pass legislation centered on consumers and the climate that creates and retains good paying, union jobs in communities across the state.
…Adding… Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…
We have said it before and we will say it again. We can and must combat climate change in a way that puts thousands of people back to work statewide, especially in communities of color, without raising electric rates, hiking taxes or giving a bailout to Exelon and fossil fuels.
…Adding… Illinois Chamber…
“The Illinois Chamber was disappointed to learn that Exelon has once again threatened to close two of their nuclear facilities next year — plants that it has acknowledged continue to be profitable — unless they receive another bailout funded by ratepayers,” said Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch. “Exelon is demanding a bailout without completely opening its books to a truly independent third party. PJM’s Independent Market Monitor should conduct a thorough audit.
“The Chamber does understand, however, that the closure of power plants can have a significant economic impact on employees and the communities where those facilities are located, and that’s why we support Senate President Pro Tempore Bill Cunningham’s Senate Bill 3837, which includes a number of tools to mitigate these impacts. For instance, SB 3837 would create the Community Impact Mitigation Fund to mitigate the impacts of lost property taxes and jobs, and decreased economic development as a result of closures.
“The Chamber will continue to work with policy makers and energy stakeholders to craft a balanced energy policy that ensures reliable and affordable electricity.”
…Adding… US Sen. Richard Durbin…
“The closure of Byron and Dresden Generating Stations will have significant impacts on the local economy and Illinois workers. In the days and months ahead, I am committed to fighting for these jobs and helping to create additional good paying jobs in these communities, and creating a clean energy economy with policies like my America’s Clean Future Fund Act.
“Unfortunately, for the past three and a half years, President Trump and Congressional Republicans have pursued policies that hurt nuclear energy and the thousands of good paying jobs that they support. The Trump Administration passed a rule to nullify Illinois’ clean energy program that supported nuclear power plants like Byron and Dresden. And Congressional Republicans supported the Trump Administration’s efforts to overturn the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, which helped support nuclear energy.
“I encourage Congressman Kinzinger and the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation to work with me to undo the disastrous policies put into place by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans, which have hurt these plants and employees, and work to pass smart legislation that supports clean energy jobs.”
…Adding… Illinois AFL-CIO…
The Illinois AFL-CIO, representing the thousands of working men and women and their families and communities who would be directly affected, is deeply disappointed and concerned about today’s announcement by Exelon of planned closures of the Byron and Dresden nuclear plants in northern Illinois.
Our state has many economic challenges today. The coronavirus pandemic has only made those challenges more real, and working families are struggling across Illinois.
Energy is an important part of our lives. When we turn the lights on, we expect them to come on and stay on at a reasonable price. The nuclear energy at these and other Illinois plants is critical to the safe, reliable and affordable power supply we all enjoy today. Not only would these plant closures devastate the communities and families employed there directly, we all will pay a steep price from losing access to the high-quality, affordable power the plants produce.
We cannot afford to let these nuclear plants close. We stand ready to work on a clean energy policy for Illinois that preserves these critical jobs, and supports the affordable and reliable energy we have today and need for a successful tomorrow.”
…Adding… Rep. Adam Kinzinger on Facebook…
This right here is what happens when Illinois corruption is allowed to run wild.
This morning’s announcement that the Byron and Dresden nuclear power plants will be closed is absolutely devastating to our communities, and yet another casualty of Mike Madigan’s ComEd bribery scandal. When an industry is told it has to pay-up to exist, the corrupt win and the rest of us lose. It didn’t even end up being Pay-to-Play, this was Pay-to-Die.
I have fought tirelessly for many years at the federal level to save and preserve our nuclear fleet, which offers affordable, safe, and clean energy and thousands of fantastic jobs here at home. But at the same time, on the state level, Mike Madigan’s Machine cared more about draining the industry through bribes than saving these anchors of our communities — not to mention their goal of a zero carbon future is impossible without nuclear energy.
This is an absolute disgrace, and my first step will be demanding that the $200 million in fines collected by the DOJ from the scandal be directed to the communities and families who are the casualties of this disgusting corruption. After that, it’s time, once and for all, to take out Madigan and the Cronies who screwed us while enriching themselves.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:12 am
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It’s extortion. Exelon is as much a mafia organization as it is an energy company.
I liked the forced divestiture idea. Regulators should explore it. The coal plant operators could buy them. Solves two problems.
Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:17 am
== Another day in the 90s, another chunk of money to ComEd… thanks, Madigan.==
Isn’t this why Rauner and Madigan both agreed to increase Exelon’s rates? (And they didn’t agree much). Nuclear power plants aren’t profitable. The higher rates were to keep people working and to produce green energy.
Comment by Fly like an eagle Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:24 am
What kind of shape are they in? Maybe they can’t be retrofitted and they’re too expensive to operate. I’m no fan of ComEd but there could be other factors at play here?
Comment by Nucky Thompson Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:28 am
Having worked in those plants, its a terrible idea to sell them. They simply aren’t financially profitable no matter who owns them. The price of nuclear labor and fuel is higher than what the market price for kwh is currently. I distrust ComEd more than the next guy but these really need to close. Having these extra power plants on the grid raises the rates for consumers, it doesn’t decrease it. I am not for additional subsidies to keep them open, I am for decommissioning. While we are at it, CWLP needs to go.
Comment by X-nuke Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:30 am
I cannot quite find the right words to describe this statement. “two-faced” ? “double-deallng” ? “hybridized” ?
Comment by walker Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:30 am
None of the commenters here seem to give a d**n about the adverse climate change implications of closing these carbon emission free sources of energy. Typical.
Comment by striketoo Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:38 am
Anyone notice that in their announcement they called the plants uneconomic. They didn’t say they were losing money. Reminds me that before FEJA, Crane claimed on an earnings call that the plants were “underearning.” The public is really not going to be wild about throwing more money at a company with multi-billion dollar profits because their plants are “underearning.” Guess what, most Illinois consumers are underearning.
Comment by Southern Skeptic Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:39 am
I think truly opening the books before any bailout/subsidy discussion is in order. Show us the money, or lack there of.
Comment by Nagidam Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:41 am
I don’t know the first thing about energy policy, but with public trust for ComEd at an all-time low, this doesn’t seem like the best time for them to expand their enemies list.
Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:43 am
Exactly how much of the decommissioning costs are currently socked away? Asking for a friend.
Comment by Jibba Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:45 am
I don’t think right now is a good time to talk about nationalizing energy production in the country, but perhaps in January we can start talking about it.
Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:47 am
All this after Speaker Madigan worked so hard with Exelon to ensure such things weren’t necessary?
I’m sure the Speaker is outraged. Perhaps a reporter can track him down and ask him what he thinks.
Comment by SSL Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:47 am
Tired of listening to this broken record.
A “record” is a plastic disk that was used in wayback times to record music…groovy music.
Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:48 am
1) It is impossible to explain in a news article or post how to tackle energy policy, the need or lack thereof for nuclear plants, and what role the state should play here. It is an incredibly, incredibly difficult subject matter that requires white boards, charts and graphs, and hundreds of hours to learn.
2) The 2016 nuclear bailout bill was negotiated between the environmental groups, Exelon, labor, and other interested parties. None of these walked into such negotiations with the taxpayers or ratepayers in mind. Their focus was money for their mission and achieving their policy goals. None of those goals related to reducing costs or keeping prices down. It was about their objectives.
Comment by southsider Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:58 am
MJM’s Frankenstein
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:58 am
The largely irreversible harm caused by invisible carbon dioxide is unambiguous…unfortunately the value of such harm is not.
But we absolutely must have our local and state governments duly consider the value of low-carbon energy and whether or not it makes sense…
Nuclear is not competitive when you restrict the equation to cost/MW but I think we all can agree there is more math to be done.
Comment by AnonIL Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 9:59 am
The only thing green about nuclear power is the little green men created by the radiation poisoning
Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:00 am
“Exactly how much of the decommissioning costs are currently socked away? Asking for a friend”
Google has your answer…
https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1909/ML19091A140.pdf
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:04 am
=30 percent of Illinois’ carbon-free energy and are essential to meeting the state’s goal to achieve 100 percent clean energy.=
I was completely unaware that nuclear waste is clean and has no long-term consequences like fossil fuels
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:14 am
I’d much rather see Illinois engage in energy policy and incentives that help deploy renewable investment in the state. Renewable energy investment at least gets scattered all around rural areas that need tax revenue streams and not concentrated in a handful of communities.
I’m sure the folks in Byron and Morris are great people, but my region is far away and doesn’t economically benefit from subsidizing those plants. Sorry.
I say let them shoot the hostages. I’m utterly done with this “escalation dominance” negotiation policy.
Comment by sulla Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:19 am
what’s done is done. we can argue about the economics of the plants, and the impact they had on the environment. now that they will be decommissioned, we will see who was telling the truth. i believe this will be a great loss to the state. renewables simply aren’t up to the task of powering the entire state. I’m not sure the period between now and full renewable energy will be a time of improving climate conditions. fossil fuel will need to fill the gap lest by the loss of nuclear. not good for illinois.
Comment by rentoria sanatoria Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:21 am
“A “record” is a plastic disk that was used in wayback times to record music”
And if you play it backwards, you hear that this is all because of Madigan.
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:22 am
The spent fuel is “clean” as long as it is stored in a safe manner. Absent a Yuca mountain facility. NRC determined that waste can be stored on-site for 60 years after a reactor shuts down…
“Dry cask storage allows spent fuel that has already been cooled in the spent fuel pool for at least one year to be surrounded by inert gas inside a container called a cask. The casks are typically steel cylinders that are either welded or bolted closed. The steel cylinder provides a leak-tight confinement of the spent fuel. Each cylinder is surrounded by additional steel, concrete, or other material.”
https://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/dry-cask-storage.html
#:~:text=Dry%20cask%20storage%20allows%20spent,either
%20welded%20or%20bolted%20closed.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:23 am
When Exelon says “market rules that allow fossil fuel plants to underbid clean resources in the PJM capacity auction,” are they talking about the transportation costs for western coal? It is my understanding, which could be completely wrong, that coal plant bids don’t include transportation costs for coal, and that those costs are then added to consumers’ bills as surcharges. I believe the Illinois mines have been complaining about that for years.
Comment by phenom_Anon Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:58 am
The state should by out Comed with new issue bonds at book value and run it as a state service. The legislature can then argue about the source mix. I’d add what Exelon should do, but that would ban the post for obscenity.
Comment by Streamwood Retiree Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 10:59 am
The nuclear plants are part of the baseline electricity for IL. We are closing coal plants, battery storage technology is still not viable as they are seeing in CA, and wind/solar are still a small piece of the pie. Presently, the market is favorable for buying electricity from the grid outside IL, but moving too fast to carbon free could be hazardous to Illinois’ economic health in the future.
Comment by Top of the State Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 11:00 am
The long addresses are unnecessary— let people google it themselves rather than ruin the font for people trying to follow on a mobile phone. Thanks
Comment by Kippax Blue Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 11:30 am
===four nuclear generation units that together supply clean, zero-emissions energy===
Hilarious. There is nothing clean about utility-scale nuclear energy. Carbon is not the only pollutant that matters.
That said, it’s extortion to threaten to close the plants, and it would be idiotic to let them be closed. So I expect Illinois will give Exelon a big windfall reward and allow the plants to be closed.
Comment by n-t-c Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 11:36 am
The idea that nuclear energy is “clean” or “zero emissions” is laughable; nuclear waste must be stored and handled carefully for centuries due to residual radiation, along with contaminated equipment, and nuclear also emits heat (thermal) energy into the atmosphere via cooling towers. ComEd and Exelon, under fire for their bribe scheme decide to make everyone else pay the price by decommissioning units with plenty of life left. What a farce. And you don’t seem to hear about scams like this in other states.
Comment by revvedup Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 11:49 am
Just checked out the link to CEJA, which has been depending on the aging nuclear plants to tide the state over to 2030 (at which time the remaining plants would be put on a decommission schedule).
This is a remarkable document, a rhetorical sleight-of-hand which both manages to tell the Governor he better reach an accommodation with the company or else and at the same time shed copious crocodile tears over so many thousands of people losing their jobs, etc.
This looks like the opening salvo in a new round of subsidy negotiations, and Exelon clearly feels they’re in an impregnable position.
One suggestion (noted above): have the state acquire the plants at book value and continue to operate them in accordance with the CEJA plan - it would give the state a lot more control.
I’d like to be able to say I think Exelon has very seriously underestimated JB’s determination to move IL forward, but am not sure it’s doable - if it is, though, he should do it.
Comment by dbk Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 11:58 am
This is a bluff, don’t fall for it. The company does not have the money to pay the $1.0 - 1.6 billion for decommissioning costs, and Exelon will not shutter these plants if they are on the hook. The legislature should also make it crystal clear that the decommissioning process begins the moment the company lays off plant employees and closes the doors.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 12:01 pm
What a press release!
Nuclear energy is clean? Then why does toxic nuclear waste have to be disposed of in remote locations like abandoned mines?
Comment by Practical Politics Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 12:21 pm
Regarding Exelon opening its book up, how many sets of books does it have? There needs to be a truly independent review of the numbers.
Also, they’ve been spinning nuclear power as clean for years - what a crock! They just want to replace one form of pollution with another.
I feel bad for anyone who looses their job, but avoiding job losses can’t be a reason to help Exelon make more money. The big shots at Exelon just care about their own phony baloney jobs and bonuses - they don’t care about front line workers - I’ve seen it firsthand.
Comment by Nobody Sent Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 12:42 pm
“nuclear waste must be stored and handled carefully for centuries due to residual radiation, along with contaminated equipment”
DOE has a $41 Billion Dollar Nuclear Waste Trust Fund. It was meant for Yucca mountain - but can be resourced for other intermediate/ permanent disposal locations.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 12:53 pm
Very glad to read the response put out by Jordan Abudayyah, good on the administration.
Short version:
Hey Exelon, we’re calling your bluff.
Comment by dbk Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 12:59 pm
One thing to do to call Exelon’s bluff is to shift some of the subsidies to make the impacted communities more whole, such as paying property taxes, funds for unemployment and economic development for an extended period of time, rather than Exelon shareholders. That may be more palatable to ratepayers. Let’s hope the Illinois legislature has some courage telling Exelon to go pound sand.
Comment by VerySmallRocks Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 1:26 pm
Good thing we’re not prosecuting them. That would have made them mad.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 2:17 pm
Exelon has closed nuclear plants in Pennsylvania and New Jersey over the last couple of years for the same reasons they cite today. They kept money losing plants open in Illinois and New York as a result of government and ratepayer subsidies. No argument here that there should be independently audited financials for all plants that are subsidized and those subsidies should be loss erasing, not profit generating on a plant by plant basis, but to those saying “call their bluff”, you don’t need to look far to see that they are not bluffing.
All of this shock and horror that Exelon played by Madigan’s rules to get bills passed is a little nauseating. Illinois voters need a hard look in the mirror if they want to know why corruption and incompetence run rampant in state and local government. If you think Exelon is holding the state hostage over these plants, watch out because they’ve been schooled by the best.
Comment by Google-is-your-friend Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 2:42 pm
=== If you think Exelon is holding the state hostage over these plants===
If?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 2:47 pm
=== If you think Exelon is holding the state hostage over these plants===
“If you say extortion again… “
- Mayor Carmine DePasto, maybe
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 2:50 pm
Points taken… fixed it:
Of course Exelon is holding the state hostage over these plants… they’ve been schooled by the best!
Comment by Google-is-your-friend Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:00 pm
There is no chance Harmon, one of the enviros best friends, Governor Mitchell (I mean Pritzker) is another top enviro friend and Madigan will do anything to help these plants. Let em close, end of story. Jenn and Jack have the fix for Illinois’ future energy issues all figured out, why not move on without Exelon, ComEd, Ameren, Dynegy, Vistra, CWLP, SIPC and Mid-America?
Comment by nadia Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:09 pm
To the update;
=== We have seen these threats before, and this time Exelon’s threats will need to be backed up by a thorough and transparent review of their finances – including why the profits of the company as a whole cannot cover alleged operating losses at a few plants.===
Ball game.
Enough is enough on the crying “poor”.
You want monies, show me the deficiencies.
Way more than fair.
To this… tasty.
=== First, let’s remember that Exelon already receives a ratepayer-funded subsidy of $235 million dollars per year to run nuclear plants in Illinois.===
What is this with $200+ million?
You have…
* $235 million refund
* $200 million in fines and such for pleading
* $200+ million in deferred or excused fines in a pleading
It’s like their “number”
Everything is “meh… $200 million, give or take”
Open the books. Then let’s talk.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:10 pm
=== they’ve been schooled by the best===
“I’m frustrated too but taking steps to reform Illinois is more important than a short term budget stalemate”
How did the legislation become law?
:)
I kid, I kid…
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:12 pm
Nadia…let’s be real.
Jenn and Jack have the answers? Can we please stop pretending the Enviros haven’t carried the water for the utilities for years? The curtain has been pulled back. Just own it.
You all may not care about the devastating impact these plant closures will have on the local economies that rely on them, but it’s callous at best to dismissively say close them.
Comment by Centennial Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:20 pm
What would be the economics if IL owned the nuclear plants and leased them and or operated them? Possible key to pension payment liability?
Comment by bear 3 Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 3:38 pm
Lets not forget the economic impact to Ogle County. $38 million lost to property taxes and $300k for charities. And the loss of union jobs. Yes, power is cheap now on the grid and nuclear is costly. The corruption scandal is just part of the story.
Comment by Top of the State Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 4:00 pm
=…if IL owns the nuclear plants”=. A Wisconsin Coop received a Dept of Energy nuclear plant, and it was a costly venture. The generating station is now closed and decommissioned, but they still have to store the spent fuel on site with a guarded perimeter. And they had to sue the Federal govt due to Yucca Mt not receiving their waste. Quite a mess….
Comment by Top of the State Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 4:14 pm
Let’s be clear. If they were losing money on these plants, they would have said so but they haven’t. I’m very concerned about the negative affects on workers and local communities but as Jordan said, that impact is being caused by Exelon choosing profits over people. The company makes billions in profits. It makes more than a billion in profit in Illinois alone. If they cared, you’d know it. But they don’t.
Comment by Southern Skeptic Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 4:25 pm
Kinzinger is over on the Facebook blaming Madigan for this because the company was forced to pay a fine. Meanwhile he’s got his feed bag on like the rest of them
https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/summary?cid=N00030667
Comment by Adams Fox News makeup artist Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 5:12 pm
No worries , Madigan will solve this issue
Comment by Curious George Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 5:19 pm
Centennial, other than the leaders portion, my comment was made with snark intended.
Comment by nadia Thursday, Aug 27, 20 @ 8:22 pm
==why not move on without Exelon, ComEd, Ameren, Dynegy, Vistra, CWLP, SIPC and Mid-America?==
You can add South Sangamon Water Commission to that list–the provider of Chatham’s water supply. With many residents believing that Chatham water is corrosive and making them sick, among other problems.
Comment by Chatham Resident Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 8:07 am
I’m guessing Exelon is not a member of the State Chamber.
Comment by notsosure Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 8:30 am
If you think nuclear power is clean, are you ready to take the waste in your backyard?
Comment by Nameless Friday, Aug 28, 20 @ 11:32 am