Illinois AFL-CIO releases updated nuclear impacts report

January 11, 2021, 9:28AMANS Nuclear Cafe

In response to Exelon’s announcement of the premature closure of two Illinois nuclear power plants—Byron and Dresden—the Illinois AFL-CIO released an updated version of the Brattle Group’s Illinois Nuclear Impacts Report.

The report highlights the economic losses and environmental impacts Illinois’ and its local communities will face with the retirement of these plants, according to a January 5 article posted to the 23WIFR website.

The details: The updated report breaks out the consumer and emissions impacts of the retirements, with findings as follows:

■ The Byron and Dresden plants alone prevent more than 20 million metric tons of CO2 each year—like taking nearly 4.5 million cars off the road.

■ The shuttering of the plants, which are licensed to operate for another 10 years (Byron) and another 20 years (Dresden), would cause Illinois consumers and businesses to pay $313 million more annually for electricity, or $3.1 billion more over a decade.

Economy boost: A spokesperson for the AFL-CIO added, “The two plants also boost Illinois’s economy, generate money for local communities, and support thousands of family-sustaining jobs in their regions.”


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