Exelon (NYSE:EXC) reported Nov. 18 that the Dresden 3 nuclear unit reached full power shortly before mid-day. Operators reconnected Unit 3 to the power grid on Nov. 16, marking the successful completion of a planned refueling outage that began Oct. 31.
During the outage, Exelon employees and supplemental workers replaced about one-third of the reactor’s fuel and performed more than 8,000 inspections, maintenance activities and equipment upgrades to ensure the unit’s safe and reliable operation during its next two-year operating cycle and beyond.
Nearly half of the state’s electricity is generated by Exelon’s six Illinois nuclear energy facilities.
Dresden Generating Station is approximately 60 miles southwest of Chicago. The station’s two boiling water reactors (BWRs) can produce a total of more than 1,800 MW at full power – enough carbon-free electricity to power more than 1.2 million typical homes.
Exelon is supporting Illinois legislation that would set up a zero-emission standard that could benefit nuclear power – somewhat akin to a program in the State of New York.
