Byron residents react to planned power station shutdown
BYRON — Word of the impending shutdown of the Byron Generating Station was greeted with expressions of disappointment, sadness and skepticism in the northern Ogle County town of 3,600.
The plant employs about 730 people and generates $38 million a year in property tax revenue that funds public agencies, including the Byron School District.
“I’m a little surprised, but I think there have been rumors that they were going to close it earlier so I can’t say I’m shocked,” Byron resident Pam Dockins, 58, said Thursday during breakfast at Swedish Pancake House at 127 W. Second St. “It’s going to make a big difference for the schools because the tax base will change, and I’m sure that a lot of jobs will be eliminated.”
Exelon, the power company that owns the Byron station, announced Thursday that it plans to retire the plant in September 2021 and the Dresden Generating Station in Morris in November 2021.
Dresden was licensed to operate for 10 more years and Byron for 20 additional years.
“Dresden and Byron face revenue shortfalls in the hundreds of millions of dollars because of declining energy prices and market rules that allow fossil fuel plants to underbid clean resources in the PJM capacity auction, even though there is broad public support for sustaining and expanding clean energy resources to address the climate crisis,” Exelon said in a news release Thursday.
The planned shutdown hit close to home for Peggy Bergmark, 57, who was raised in Byron and has worked as a waitress at Swedish Pancake House for five years.
“My sister used to work out there and she said it’s been talked about for years,” Bergmark said as she tallied a customer’s check. “I think it’s going to hurt the Byron schools. I think it’s going to hurt all of the businesses. It’s going to be a great loss.”
Bergmark said she’s concerned about the well-being of local restaurants and bars which typically extend their business hours to accommodate crews brought in for scheduled maintenance and refueling outages at the power station.
“There are a lot of employees out there who are customers here who are going to lose their jobs,” she said.
Sweetbean Cafe & Bakery owner Mindy Hellyer expressed optimism that her business at 114 S. Franklin St. will be fine, regardless of the generating station’s future.
The cafe, which opened in 2016, is in growth mode, Hellyer said.
“We’re working hard to provide an excellent product and excellent customer service and a great environment for people,” she said. “I’m sure the town’s economy will suffer some if the plant closes but, hopefully, people will stick around and keep coming in.”
The closure of the Byron Generating Station could affect the local real estate market which is currently booming, RE/MAX Professional Advantage Realtors office manager Polly Zeibert said.
Much will depend on the time it takes to retire the plant and what becomes of the site, according to Zeibert, who has 18 years of experience as a Realtor.
“I think we’re a very strong and thriving town and I think we can continue to be,” she said. “It’s very disappointing news for sure. People are going to lose their jobs and may have to relocate. It will have an impact on taxes, which is quite worrisome.”
Construction of the Byron Generating Station began in 1975. The station’s Unit 1 reactor came online in 1985 and the second reactor was brought online two years later.
The station, including its iconic cooling towers, is an important part of the community’s fabric, Dockins said.
“When you visit other places in Illinois and you say you’re from Byron, everyone’s first reaction is, ‘Oh! Where the nuclear power plant is.’ So, it has become part of our identity and that’s going to go away.”
Ken DeCoster:kdecoster@rrstar.com; @DeCosterKen
