Energy provider Exelonis delaying a decision on whether to close the company’s Quad Cities nuclear power plant. That means it and the company's Byron nuclear station will remain open for at least a few more years.
Exelon, the parent company of Commonwealth Edison, says positive results from recent power auctions has led it to defer making a decision on its Quad Cities and Byron nuclear plants for one year. That means the Quad Cities plant will operate at least through May of 2018. The Byron facility is already set to remain open through May 2019.
Exelon has been threatening to close the plants, and one in Clinton, unless the state of Illinois passed policy reforms that would credit Exelon for operating the plants. That’s based on idea that running the nuclear plants to generate electricity helps to reduce carbon emissions, versus using plants that use coal or gas. Exelon has said none of the plants might be economically viable to operate unless the state approves the credit.
Exelon says the Clinton plant remains “economically challenged,” and its future is still in doubt.
