CLINTON and QUAD CITIES, Ill.,
Dec. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- One
week after the Future Energy Jobs Bill was signed into law by Gov.
Bruce Rauner, the legislation is
already delivering new jobs and economic benefits to the region.
Exelon plans to fast track multiple capital projects at the Quad
Cities and Clinton nuclear plants
to enhance long-term equipment reliability, improve safety and
ensure regulatory compliance.
"Now that it's been enacted into law, the Future Energy Jobs
Bill is already starting to create jobs and economic growth for
Illinois families and businesses,"
said Bryan Hanson, Exelon
Generation's Chief Nuclear Officer. "These plants are massive
economic engines in their local communities, generating
approximately $1.2 billion in
economic impact each year. That will only increase once we get
these large capital projects underway."
The Quad Cities project list includes installation of a hardened
venting system, plant computer upgrades, and enhancements to the
control room simulator, which is used to train reactor operators.
The Clinton list includes upgrades
to the plant's main generator, replacement of an auxiliary
transformer and upgrades to a pump motor that controls water flow
outside the reactor. These projects and others were cancelled or
put on hold as Exelon prepared to retire Clinton in June
2017 and Quad Cities the following year. However, under the
new law, these projects are back on track.
Exelon will hire more than 400 permanent employees to assist
with the capital projects. These hires are in addition to the more
than 3,000 electricians, pipe fitters, welders, laborers and
contractors hired each year to perform refueling outages at the
plants. Many of these workers come from local union halls.
"Opponents of the Future Energy Jobs Bill called it a bailout,
but that's a ridiculous argument," said Rory Washburn, executive director of the Quad
Cities area's Tri City Building Trades Council. "This legislation
is already creating good paying jobs for Illinois families and leveling the playing
field so our safe and well run nuclear facilities can compete
fairly with other subsidized sources of clean energy."
The Future Energy Jobs Bill was passed by the Illinois legislature Dec. 1 and was signed by Gov. Rauner on
Dec. 7. The measure ensures the
continued operations of Clinton
and Quad Cities for at least 10 years and protects 4,200 related
jobs. The legislation also preserves competitive rates in
Illinois, expands energy
efficiency programs to drive customer savings, and positions
Illinois as a leader in
zero-carbon electricity. The bill provides stable, predictable
funding for renewable development, providing $180 million per year — growing to $220 million per year — in funding for renewable
resources, including new wind power, large-scale solar power, and
rooftop and community solar.
The bill received broad support from more than 200 business,
labor, environmental, faith-based and other groups, including the
AFL-CIO, IBEW, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and Illinois Retail
Merchants Association. It also had support from members of the
Clean Jobs Coalition, including the Citizens Utility Board, Natural
Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund
and others.
"The Future Energy Jobs Bill is wonderful news for area
businesses," said Marian Brisard,
executive director of the Clinton
Area Chamber of Commerce. "Restarting these capital projects
will bring new jobs, millions in local purchasing and heavy foot
traffic back to area retailers."
Along with preserving two of the state's reliable and efficient
nuclear power plants, passage of the bill secures competitive
electric rates, protects and creates good-paying jobs, and spurs
billions of dollars in investment in clean energy and energy
efficiency across the state. It also levels the playing field with
solar and wind energy by valuing the zero-carbon energy produced by
the nuclear facilities. Ninety percent of the zero-carbon energy
produced in Illinois comes from
the state's nuclear facilities.
Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC) is a Fortune 100 energy company
with the largest number of utility customers in the U.S. Exelon
does business in 48 states, the District
of Columbia and Canada and
had 2015 revenue of $34.5 billion.
Exelon's six utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to
approximately 10 million customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania
through its Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power,
PECO and Pepco subsidiaries. Exelon is one of the largest
competitive U.S. power generators, with more than 32,700 megawatts
of nuclear, gas, wind, solar and hydroelectric generating capacity
comprising one of the nation's cleanest and lowest-cost power
generation fleets. The company's Constellation business unit
provides energy products and services to approximately 2.5 million
residential, public sector and business customers, including more
than two-thirds of the Fortune 100. Follow Exelon on Twitter
@Exelon.
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SOURCE Exelon Generation