Former U.S. Senator Evan Bayh, Former EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner, & President of North America’s Building Trades Un...
28 January 2015 - 6:32AM
Business Wire
Chicago Event Underscores Broad Support for
Existing Nuclear Energy Plants in the State
A diverse set of stakeholders convened to support the continued
operation of Illinois’ existing nuclear energy plants at an event
hosted by the City Club of Chicago today. Several members of
Nuclear Matters’ Leadership Council participated in the event,
including Nuclear Matters Co-Chair, former Senator Evan Bayh
(D-IN), former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator
Carol M. Browner and President of North America’s Building Trades
Unions Sean McGarvey. They were joined by Doug Scott, former
chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, and by moderator Paul
Green, director of the Institute for Politics and Arthur Rubloff
Professor of Policy Studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago.
“Nuclear energy is important to Illinois given that existing
nuclear plants produce nearly half of the state’s electricity and
provide important benefits in the form of economic growth,
employment, reliability and cleaner air,” Bayh said. “Illinois
should continue its tradition of being a bellwether by ensuring its
existing nuclear energy plants continue operating, signaling to the
rest of the country that this critical energy source should
maintain its integral role in America’s diverse energy mix.”
“Thanks to Illinois’ nuclear facilities, as well as wind and
solar, Illinois is number one in carbon-free energy
production,” Browner said. “This is a position that stakeholders
should not take lightly, and should do everything they can to
maintain for the sake of cleaner air. The bottom line is that
without the existing nuclear fleet, it would be difficult for
Illinois to meet any carbon reduction goals.”
“Nuclear facilities in Illinois are vital to the state’s
economic security, providing nearly 28,000 direct and indirect jobs
and supporting families across the state,” McGarvey said. “Existing
nuclear energy plants also inject nearly $9 billion directly into
the local economy, underscoring their regional economic
significance.”
Bayh, Browner and McGarvey pointed to the many benefits that
Illinois’ six nuclear facilities provide to the state, including
providing 48 percent of its electricity and 90 percent of its
carbon-free electricity. Over the past decade, the state’s nuclear
facilities have operated at 96 percent efficiency, which is above
the average for the industry and ranks far above other types of
electricity generation.
They also noted that the continued operation of these plants is
challenged by a confluence of economic and policy factors. The
impacts of any premature plant closures would be dire, as
highlighted in a report issued earlier this month by various state
agencies in response to a legislative resolution passed by the
Illinois House of Representatives.
The report, “Potential Nuclear Power Plant Closings in Illinois:
Impacts and Market-Based Solutions,” underscored the impacts of
such closures on Illinois’ economy, energy prices and carbon
emissions, and highlights the concerns that such an event would
raise about the reliability of the electric grid. It concluded that
the closure of Illinois’ at-risk nuclear plants would lead to
substantial environmental costs of up to $18 billion stemming from
increased carbon emissions, $1.8 billion annually in lost economic
activity, decreased reliability, and nearly 8,000 jobs lost. The
report also highlighted a number of proactive market-based
solutions that the Illinois General Assembly could consider to
prevent the closures, a step in the right direction towards
addressing these issues.
This event is part of a series of discussions that Nuclear
Matters will continue to participate in and host throughout the
country as the campaign shines a light on the challenges facing
America’s existing nuclear energy fleet.
To learn more or join the efforts of Nuclear Matters, please
visit www.NuclearMatters.com.
About Nuclear Matters
The mission of Nuclear Matters is to inform the public about the
clear benefits that nuclear energy provides to our nation, to raise
awareness of the economic challenges to nuclear energy that
threaten those benefits, and to work with stakeholders to explore
possible policy solutions that properly value nuclear energy as a
reliable, affordable and carbon-free electricity resource that is
essential to America’s energy future.
Supporters of Nuclear Matters include a range of companies and
organizations in the energy industry, including Ameren Missouri,
American Nuclear Insurers, Arizona Public Service Company, AREVA,
Black & Veatch, POWER Burns and Roe, Centrus Energy Corp.
Dominion, Duke Energy, Energy Future Holdings Corporation, Energy
Northwest, Entergy Corporation, Exelon Corporation, FirstEnergy
Corp., GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Lightbridge Corporation, Nebraska
Public Power District, NextEra Energy Inc., Omaha Public Power
District, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, South Texas Project
Nuclear Operating Company, Southern Company, Tennessee Valley
Authority, and Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
For Nuclear Matters:Alexandra Meredith,
212-446-1887AMeredith@SloanePR.comorJoe Germani,
212-446-1899JGermani@SloanePR.com