Statement from American Nuclear Society President Steven Nesbit and Executive Director/CEO Craig Piercy on passage of Illinois Senate Bill 2408:
"The American Nuclear Society welcomes passage of legislation to secure Illinois' clean energy future by preventing the slated premature closures of Bryon and Dresden nuclear power plants. Over 4.3 gigawatts of irreplaceable carbon-free nuclear power and more than 1,500 jobs at the nuclear power plants have been saved.
As the voice for nuclear engineers and scientists, we thank Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the General Assembly, Exelon, and the Climate Jobs Illinois labor coalition for coming together to safeguard Illinois' environment, economy, and power grid. We urge the governor to quickly sign the bill.
Illinois is home to a total of six nuclear power plants, generating 54% of the state's electricity. No other state generates as much electricity from carbon-free nuclear energy as Illinois. It’s no wonder that protesting workers were chanting 'save our nukes' outside the state capitol this legislative session. ANS is proud to call Illinois its home for nearly 65 years.
The energy package now extends Illinois’ zero-emissions credit initiative to struggling nuclear power plants like Byron, Dresden, and Braidwood. The Byron and Dresden plants would have been forced to shutter without the credits, which recognize the clean air attributes of nuclear generation.”
