Exelon Generation’s Illinois Nuclear Plants Ran at Nearly Full Capacity During Midwest Deep Freeze
January 09 2018 - 6:00AM
Business Wire
As an arctic deep freeze pounded the Midwest with high winds,
bone-chilling temperatures and high power demands, Exelon
Generation’s Illinois nuclear plants delivered reliable, critical
electricity to 12 million homes and businesses. During the same
period, Exelon Generation’s nuclear facilities in New York, New
Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania delivered near maximum levels of
reliability for 11 million homes and businesses as Winter Storm
Grayson pummeled the East Coast.
Similar to the Polar Vortex, Winter Storm Grayson caused massive
spikes in electricity demand. According to PJM Interconnection, the
regional grid operator, the storm generated the region’s highest
winter electricity demand since 2014, resulting in two of PJM’s
all-time top 10 winter peak demands: 136,125 megawatts on Jan. 3
and 136,206 on Jan. 5. During the Polar Vortex of 2014, Exelon
Generation’s nuclear fleet operated at 95 percent capacity.
“Our performance this past week helps demonstrate nuclear
power’s reliability and resiliency nationally,” said Chief Nuclear
Officer Bryan Hanson. “Millions of people count on the electricity
our nuclear facilities provide, in homes, businesses, schools and
hospitals, so we prepare for winter all year long to meet our
reliability commitments.”
All 14 Exelon Generation nuclear facilities operate more than 90
percent of the time, even though the reactors are taken offline for
refueling outages every 18 to 24 months. With on-site fuel and 18-
to 24-month operating cycles, Exelon Generation’s nuclear plants
don’t face fuel availability or delivery problems in inclement
weather.
Winter resiliency and reliability requires year-long planning,
preparation and maintenance. Exelon Generation workers spend months
ensuring that backup generators and spare equipment is ready for
inclement weather. This fall, operators and maintenance personnel
inspected freeze protection systems, tested electrical equipment,
and properly aligned plant systems to prepare all Exelon Generation
facilities for sub-zero temperatures, icy conditions and heavy
snowfall. These efforts are in addition to the many equipment
upgrades and “winter readiness” maintenance activities performed
during refueling outages.
Exelon Generation, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE:
EXC), is one of the largest, most efficient clean energy producers
in the U.S., with a generating capacity of more than 35,500
megawatts. Exelon Generation operates the largest U.S. fleet of
carbon-free nuclear plants with 20,300 megawatts of capacity from
23 reactors at 14 facilities in Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New
York and Pennsylvania. Exelon Generation also operates a diverse
mix of wind, solar, landfill gas, hydroelectric, natural gas and
oil facilities in 18 states with more than 15,200 megawatts. Exelon
Generation has an industry-leading safety record and is an active
partner and economic engine in the communities it serves by
providing jobs, charitable contributions and tax payments that help
towns and regions grow. Follow Exelon Generation on Twitter
@ExelonGen, view the Exelon Generation channel on YouTube, and
visit: http://www.exeloncorp.com/companies/exelon-generation.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180109005713/en/
Exelon Generation CommunicationsDavid Tillman,
717-368-0969David.tillman@exeloncorp.com
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