Exelon Corporation says it’s moving ahead with plans to shut down its Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear plants, after lawmakers adjourned their regular spring session without passing legislation the energy company had sought to bring new revenue to the facilities.
News-Gazette reporter Tom Kacich talks with Illinois Public Media’s Brian Moline about a meeting set for Thursday between Gov. Bruce Rauner, and area officials to talk about a new plan from Exelon, which it says must be passed into law to prevent it from closing its Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear power plants.
The "transition" auction revises a previous capacity auction for the generating year starting next June. But Exelon says the additional revenue will not help its money-losing Byron and Quad Cities nuclear plants.
Exelon's unprofitable Quad Cities nuclear power plant failed to clear in the annual capacity auction held last week by the regional power grid PJM.
Exelon still has hopes for the legislation, once lawmakers are done dealing with the state budget. And whether or not it passes could have in impact on the price of electricity in Illinois, and the fate of its three nuclear plants in Clinton, Byron and Quad Cities, which are losing money.
