Exelon Generation’s Three Upstate Nuclear Plants Ran at Full Capacity During Winter Storm Grayson
January 09 2018 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
As Winter Storm Grayson pounded the East Coast with high winds,
bone-chilling temperatures and historic power demands, Exelon
Generation’s Upstate New York nuclear facilities, including R.E.
Ginna, Nine Mile Point and FitzPatrick, operated at 100 percent
power, delivering critical electricity to more than three million
homes and businesses during near-record levels of demand for
power.
Similar to the Polar Vortex, Winter Storm Grayson caused massive
spikes in electricity demand. According to the New York Independent
System Operator (NYISO), the highest demand during the storm
reached 25,081 megawatts on Jan. 5, approaching NYISO’s record
winter peak demand of 25,738 megawatts, which was set on Jan. 7,
2017. During the Polar Vortex of 2014, Exelon Generation’s nuclear
fleet operated at 95 percent capacity.
“Our performance this past week helps demonstrate nuclear
power’s reliability and resiliency nationally,” said Chief Nuclear
Officer Bryan Hanson. “Millions of people count on the electricity
our nuclear facilities provide, in homes, businesses, schools and
hospitals, so we prepare for winter all year long to meet our
reliability commitments.”
All 14 Exelon Generation nuclear facilities operate more than 90
percent of the time, even though the reactors are taken offline for
refueling outages every 18 to 24 months. With on-site fuel and 18-
to 24-month operating cycles, Exelon Generation’s nuclear plants
don’t face fuel availability or delivery problems in inclement
weather.
Winter resiliency and reliability requires year-long planning,
preparation and maintenance. Exelon Generation workers spend months
ensuring that backup generators and spare equipment is ready for
inclement weather. This fall, operators and maintenance personnel
inspected freeze protection systems, tested electrical equipment,
and properly aligned plant systems to prepare all Exelon Generation
facilities for sub-zero temperatures, icy conditions and heavy
snowfall. These efforts are in addition to the many equipment
upgrades and “winter readiness” maintenance activities performed
during refueling outages.
Exelon Generation, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE:
EXC), is one of the largest, most efficient clean energy producers
in the U.S., with a generating capacity of more than 35,500
megawatts. Exelon Generation operates the largest U.S. fleet of
carbon-free nuclear plants with 20,300 megawatts of capacity from
23 reactors at 14 facilities in Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New
York and Pennsylvania. Exelon Generation also operates a diverse
mix of wind, solar, landfill gas, hydroelectric, natural gas and
oil facilities in 18 states with more than 15,200 megawatts. Exelon
Generation has an industry-leading safety record and is an active
partner and economic engine in the communities it serves by
providing jobs, charitable contributions and tax payments that help
towns and regions grow. Follow Exelon Generation on Twitter
@ExelonGen, view the Exelon Generation channel on YouTube, and
visit: http://www.exeloncorp.com/companies/exelon-generation.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180109005699/en/
Exelon Generation CommunicationsLacey Dean,
610-765-5530Lacey.dean@exeloncorp.com
Exelon (NYSE:EXC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Exelon (NYSE:EXC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024