CORDOVA, Illinois – The launch of a spring refueling outage at Exelon Generation's Quad-Cities Nuclear Power Plant is again creating an additional 1,800 jobs for trades-related workers.
As part of the planned outage, operators removed Unit 2 in Cordova from service early Monday capping a run of 218 consecutive days of power generation, Exelon said.
"The work performed during the outage will help us run safely and reliably for another two years, during the hottest summer days and the coldest winter nights," said Ken Ohr, the Quad-Cities Generating Station's site vice president. "The craftsmanship and dedication of our workforce, along with the outstanding support of our surrounding region, makes this possible."
The plant hires additional skilled electricians, pipe fitters, welders, carpenters, laborers and other trades people to support refueling outage activities. According to Exelon, technicians will replace nearly one-third of the reactor’s fuel as well as perform several thousand inspections, tests, maintenance activities and modifications that cannot be accomplished when the unit is online.
People are also reading…
For competitive reasons, the company does not discuss its exact outage dates or how long the refueling may last.
"Exelon is a tremendous economic driver in the Quad-Cities region," said Kristin Glass, interim CEO for the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce. "The influx of nearly 1,800 new jobs over the course of the refueling outage will bring new money to our local economy as those employees patronize our local hotels and businesses."
She said that impact "is another example of why the passage of the Future Energy Jobs Act was such a critical piece of legislation for this region."
Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the Future Energy Jobs Act into law in late 2016. It preserved the company's Quad-Cities and Clinton, Illinois, nuclear plants for at least another decade.
The Cordova station's two reactors can produce more than 1,900 megawatts of carbon-free electricity, or enough to power more than 1 million homes and businesses.