James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant Joins Exelon Generation Nuclear Fleet
Joseph Pacher named as new Site Vice President
Exelon Generation, owner of the nation’s largest nuclear energy fleet,
today announced it has assumed ownership and management of operations of
the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, NY.
“We look forward to bringing FitzPatrick’s highly skilled team of
professionals into the Exelon Generation nuclear program, and to
continue delivering to New York the environmental, economic and grid
reliability benefits of this important energy asset,” said Chris Crane,
president and CEO of Exelon. “We applaud Governor Cuomo and his
administration for their vision and leadership in adopting the Clean
Energy Standard, which made possible this agreement that has saved
thousands of jobs, brought reinvestment of hundreds of millions of
dollars and positioned New York as a national leader in clean energy.”
With the transaction completed, Exelon Generation named a new site vice
president, Joseph Pacher, who was formerly site vice president at R.E.
Ginna Nuclear Power Plant. The former site vice president of
FitzPatrick, Brian Sullivan, was retained by Entergy as part of the
original transaction agreement.
“Joe knows the Exelon Management Model well and led Ginna during its
transition into the Exelon Generation fleet in 2014,” said Bryan Hanson,
chief nuclear officer, Exelon Generation. “We are confident that his
leadership will ensure a smooth transition for employees and the
community, as FitzPatrick continues to deliver safe, clean and reliable
electricity to the regional power grid.”
Entergy and Exelon announced the transaction on Aug. 9, 2016, after the
Clean Energy Standard (CES) was adopted in New York. The CES is credited
with saving the $3 billion that nuclear plants contribute annually to
the state’s economy and 25,000 direct and indirect jobs, while spurring
hundreds of millions of dollars in investments in energy infrastructure.
Without the CES, the FitzPatrick facility was slated for closure and
other upstate nuclear plants would also have been at risk of closure.
Under the agreement totaling $110 million, Entergy transferred
FitzPatrick’s operating license to Exelon Generation, along with the
plant’s decommissioning trust fund and liability. Exelon does not
anticipate any immediate change to staffing levels at the plant, which
normally employs about 600 people.
The transaction received regulatory review and approval by state and
federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the
New York State Public Service Commission.
Acquiring FitzPatrick aligns with Exelon’s broader efforts to preserve
the nation’s existing nuclear energy facilities and the environmental,
economic and reliability benefits they provide. New York’s nuclear
plants reliably provide nearly two-thirds of the state's carbon-free
electricity around the clock. Replacing economically challenged nuclear
units would require more fossil fuel generation, which would
significantly increase carbon emissions in the state, making it far more
difficult and expensive for customers and the state to meet their
emissions reduction goals.
The 838-megawatt James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant generates
carbon-free electricity for more than 800,000 homes and businesses.
Exelon Generation operates two other nuclear energy facilities in
upstate New York: R.E. Ginna and Nine Mile Point, the latter of which is
adjacent to FitzPatrick. Together, Exelon’s three upstate plants provide
carbon-free electricity to more than 3 million homes and businesses
while employing more than 2,100 full-time workers.
Exelon Generation, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), is
one of the largest, most efficient clean energy producers in the U.S.,
with a generating capacity of more than 33,300 megawatts. Exelon
Generation operates the largest U.S. fleet of carbon-free nuclear plants
with 20,200 megawatts of capacity from 23 reactors at 14 facilities in
Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Exelon
Generation also operates a diverse mix of wind, solar, landfill gas,
hydroelectric, natural gas and oil facilities in 16 states with more
than 13,100 megawatts. Exelon Generation has an industry-leading safety
record and is an active partner and economic engine in the communities
it serves by providing jobs, charitable contributions and tax payments
that help towns and regions grow. Follow Exelon Generation on Twitter
@ExelonGen and @ExelonNuclear, view the Exelon Generation channel on
YouTube, and visit: http://www.exeloncorp.com/companies/exelon-generation.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170331005457/en/
Copyright Business Wire 2017