The owner of the Clinton nuclear power plant in Dewitt County is following through on its end of the deal that led to passage of the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. Constellation Energy is asking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the reactor's license for 20 years. It had been scheduled to expire in 2027.
Constellation also said federal tax credits for zero carbon power sources make it possible to keep open the Clinton plant and the Dresden nuclear reactor in Grundy County. Clinton and Dresden, along with three other Illinois nuclear plants, receive credits under two state laws. In addition, the federal Inflation Reduction Act passed in August includes a nuclear production tax credit to help support continued operation of the nation’s nuclear fleet for at least nine years.
If the government approves the operating permit extension, Clinton could operate until 2047 and Dresden could operate until 2049 (Unit 2) and 2051 (Unit 3).
The company said an extension would allow the two plants to contribute billions of additional dollars to Illinois’ economy and continue providing enough carbon-free energy to power the equivalent of more than 2 million homes.
“To get to zero emissions in Illinois by 2050 and reduce emissions nationally, we will need to operate every carbon-free resource we have for as long as we possibly can,” said Joe Dominguez, president and CEO of Constellation. “With these extensions, Clinton and Dresden will further demonstrate the capability of nuclear assets to provide always-on clean energy when and where it is needed for decades to come, which is a testament to their unique value in addressing the climate crisis.”
Clinton and Dresden are economic engines for the state. Based on an independent analysis completed in 2021 when the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act was enacted, Dresden and Clinton are expected to contribute about $1 billion and $550 million per year, respectively, to the state GDP. The Clinton plant employs 540 people.
“The Clinton plant is an enormous economic engine for this region and the community,” said Terry Ferguson, chairman of the DeWitt County Board. “From the property taxes it pays to the employees who live here and spend their money to the secondary jobs created by the station’s refueling outages, this plant provides a massive boost to the area and to local businesses.”
The Clinton plant pays $13 million per year in property taxes to support local schools, fire departments and other government services.
Clinton produces electricity for the equivalent of more than 800,000 homes in central Illinois. Dresden powers the equivalent of more than 1.3 million homes in northern Illinois.
The company said the additional carbon-free power generated by extending the licenses for 20 years will have the equivalent effect of taking 3.7 million gas-powered vehicles off the road per year, or the equivalent of adding nearly 4,700 windmills to the grid, citing Environmental Protection Agencydata.
Over the past 10 years, Clinton and Dresden have had average run-times of 93 percent and nearly 95 percent, respectively, making them among the most reliable energy sources on the grid, said Constellation.
