The Illinois Senate carried a massive piece of energy legislation over the finish line Monday, sending the bill to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk just in time to avoid the shuttering of an Exelon nuclear plant.
In a 37 to 17 vote — with three voting present — state senators passed the legislation, which Pritzker said he plans to sign “as soon as possible.”
A spokesman for Exelon said in a statement the energy company plans to refuel its Byron and Dresden nuclear plants “as a result of the action taken by the Illinois legislature to enact a comprehensive energy bill.”
The Byron plant was slated for defueling and closure beginning Monday — the Dresden plant was slated to be taken off line in November.
“Once the legislation is signed into law, Exelon Generation will move to immediately fill hundreds of vacant positions and resume capital projects required for long-term operation,” the statement continues in part. “The company also will alert the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and PJM of the decision to keep the plants operating.”
Pritzker said in a statement shortly after the bill’s passage the state is “making history by setting aggressive standards for a 100 percent clean energy future.
“After years of debate and discussion, science has prevailed we are charting a new future that works to mitigate the impacts of climate change here in Illinois,” Pritzker’s statement continued. “I look forward to signing this historic measure into law as soon as possible, because our planet and the people of Illinois ought not wait any longer.”
