A familiar Exelon Generation scenario is developing in New York, mirroring the recent standoff in Illinois that lead the decision to shut down the Quad Cities and Clinton nuclear power plants.
According to media reports, Exelon has told the New York Pubic Service Commission (PSC) that it would shut down the 640-MW Nine Mile Point Unit 1 and the 597-MW Ginna plant unless the PSC could guarantee that the state would pass a proposed Clean Energy Standard plan that would support Nine Mile Point and Ginna retailers.
The plan would give zero-emissions credit payments to retailers, which would amount to a incentive to purchase electricity from the nuclear power plants. Exelon said it would need to know by the end September 2016 what the fate of the Clean Energy Standard proposal would be. The plan would set the goal for New York to have half of its electricity generation come from carbon emissions-free sources by 2030, Penn Energy reported.
Exelon has not announced this ultimatum through its media relations division. Entergy, however, has already announced that it would close the 849-MW FitzPatrick nuclear power plant in 2019.
Exelon said it is being forced to make the decision on the Nine Mile Point plant soon before it needs to commit at least $55 million to fuel fabrication costs to reload the plant with fuel in March 2017.
The Ginna plant has other considerations. The price it is paid for its electricity supply is supported by a reliability support services agreement. The company is required to tell the PSC by September 30 whether or not that reliability support services agreement will continue or not.
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