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Clinton Nuclear Plant Gets One Year Grace Period

Exelon Corp. says it will wait a year to decide if it will close its nuclear plant near Clinton, Illinois. Exelon owns Illinois' 11 nuclear reactors. Plant spokesman Brett Nauman says an industry group that arranges power purchases for southern Illinois has agreed to re-think its business practices.

Nauman says the Clinton plant has lost 350 million dollars in the last six years because of low natural gas prices.

Nauman says the industry group decision on market reform does not lessen the legislative push.

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Company officials say the deferral will give policymakers in Illinois time to consider legislation that Exelon says would "level the playing field" for carbon-free electricity.  
    
Exelon wants lawmakers to approve a monthly surcharge on consumers' electricity bills to reward generators that produce carbon-free electricity. Opponents have said Exelon doesn't need a bailout.

The company earlier this year issued similar closure delay announcements for the Byron and Quad Cities nuclear reactors.
 

WGLT Senior Reporter Charlie Schlenker has spent more than three award-winning decades in radio. He lives in Normal with his family.
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