US-based energy provider Exelon has filed an application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to renew license for its Braidwood Generating Station and Byron Generating Station.
The company is seeking extension of another 20 years to operate the nuclear stations.
Exelon’s Braidwood Generating Station is located in Ogle County, Illinois, and is about 25 miles southwest of Rockford.
The plant has two nuclear energy units that together can produce over 2,300MW of electricity at full power, which is enough to provide electricity to more than 2 million typical homes.
Unit 1 of Braidwood station can operate until 2026 and Unit 2 until 2027.
The Byron Station located in Ogle County, Illinois, about 25 miles southwest of Rockford has two nuclear units with the capacity of 2,300MW. The power produced is enough to power more than 2 million typical homes.
Under the current license terms, Exelon can operate Byron Unit 1 until 2024 and Unit 2 until 2026.
NRC staff will review the application over the next two years for both safety and environmental impacts and visit and verify information mentioned in the application.
After thorough review, the staff will complete a Safety Evaluation Report and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and after all the requisites, a final decision on the applications would be announced in 2015.