As Summer Heats up, Constellation’s Nuclear Fleet Ready to Meet Power Needs of 15 Million Homes
12 Julho 2023 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Multiple spring refueling and reliability
projects have been completed to support 24/7 flow of carbon-free
electricity to homes, businesses and hospitals
Constellation’s 21 reactors at 12 nuclear plants across
Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland are positioned to
supply uninterrupted carbon-free electricity to the equivalent of
15 million homes during what is forecasted to be a hotter than
usual summer, with global temperatures already shattering records
for the hottest days ever recorded. The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted above normal
temperatures for many regions of the U.S. throughout this summer,
as the climate crisis brings on more extreme weather.
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More than 15,000 workers took part in
important technology upgrades and equipment maintenance during
refueling outages at Constellation nuclear plants this spring.
(Photo: Business Wire)
Constellation’s nuclear fleet has operated at a near perfect
capacity factor of more than 97 percent over the summer in the last
10 years, meaning the fleet’s reactors were running at nearly full
power every hour of every day through the heat for the last
decade.
More than 15,000 workers took part in important technology
upgrades and equipment maintenance during refueling outages at
Constellation nuclear plants this spring, to support 24/7 delivery
of carbon-free electricity during the hottest months ahead.
“We invested hundreds of millions of dollars this spring in our
clean energy centers to ensure they are ready to provide power to
millions of families and workplaces as temperatures soar this
summer,” said Dave Rhoades, chief nuclear officer, Constellation.
“We produce reliable, carbon-free nuclear power all year round, and
during times of high heat when it’s needed most.”
During the scheduled spring refueling outages, workers replaced
or refurbished dozens of pumps and motors, performed quality
assurance inspections on reactor and fuel components and completed
tens of thousands of other technical tasks to help the power plants
provide uninterrupted carbon-free electricity for up to 24 straight
months. The outage projects also brought a welcome boost to
employment and retail activity in the communities near the
facilities. Thousands of skilled electricians, pipefitters,
welders, carpenters, laborers, steamfitters and other tradespeople
come to the nuclear sites from across the country to perform
inspections, tests and maintenance activities.
“NABTU applauds Constellation's continuous commitment to
operational excellence,” said Sean McGarvey, President of North
America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU). “Constellation's
refueling outages provide family-sustaining jobs for thousands of
NABTU skilled craft professionals. Our workers are proud to help
build and maintain these critical projects and increase reliability
of continuous affordable power for thousands of American families,
especially during the hottest months of the year."
Constellation invests billions of dollars in its plants every
decade, replacing and upgrading equipment during refueling outages
and at other times, so they can be operated safely for up to 80
years. Over the years, these cumulative investments in our plants
are like taking your car in for maintenance, stripping it down to
its frame, and rebuilding the engine and replacing the bearings and
all of its moving parts.
“Our precise scheduling for important upgrades, maintenance
activities and technical inspections ensures our units are only
briefly offline during periods of lower power demand in the
spring,” said Tim Hanley, chief operating officer,
Constellation.
Landmark legislation passed in Illinois in 2021 – the Climate
and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) – saved three of the state’s nuclear
plants from early retirement, preserving tens of thousands of jobs
and preventing an increase in pollution and energy costs. In 2022,
Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides a
base level of support for nuclear energy nationwide. Both pieces of
legislation are enabling the continued investment in and operation
of Constellation’s nuclear fleet.
About Constellation
Headquartered in Baltimore, Constellation Energy Corporation
(Nasdaq: CEG) is the nation’s largest producer of clean,
carbon-free energy and a leading supplier of energy products and
services to businesses, homes, community aggregations and public
sector customers across the continental United States, including
three fourths of Fortune 100 companies. With annual output that is
nearly 90% carbon-free, our hydro, wind and solar facilities paired
with the nation’s largest nuclear fleet have the generating
capacity to power the equivalent of 15 million homes, providing
around 10% of the nation’s clean energy. We are further
accelerating the nation’s transition to a carbon-free future by
helping our customers reach their sustainability goals, setting our
own ambitious goal of achieving 100% carbon-free generation by
2040, and by investing in promising emerging technologies to
eliminate carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy.
Follow Constellation on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230712403553/en/
Brett Nauman Constellation Communications 309-433-6894
brett.nauman@constellation.com
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