Exelon offers more low-carbon electricity in the marketplace than any other power producer in the nation. In 2011, more than 92% of our generation output was low-carbon nuclear energy, complemented by a growing portfolio of carefully selected solar, wind and hydroelectric generation. The foundation of our corporate strategy is to focus on safety of operations, clean generation, reliability of supply and affordability for our customers. In balancing these elements, we strive to lead the United States to a low-carbon energy future.
Better Together
Merging to create one of the industry’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets and one of the largest commercial, industrial and residential customer bases in the United States.
Exelon 2020 in Action
We are committed to offering more low-carbon electricity in the marketplace by increasing the output of our nuclear fleet, investing in other low-emission energy generation and reducing the reliance on fossil generation. Our progress includes:
- Completing the merger with Constellation, another like-minded company focused on clean generation.
- Acquiring operating wind resources and wind project development capability which added an existing operating portfolio of 735 MW of clean, renewable wind power projects and another 1,468 MW in development options.
- Developing the nation’s largest urban solar installation, Exelon City Solar, which has generated more than 28,300 MWhs of emissions-free electricity since it went online in early 2010.
- Acquiring Antelope Valley Ranch One, a 230-MW solar project under development in California, anticipated to be operational by late 2013.
- Achieving new levels of nuclear generation capacity while ensuring safe operations.
- Retiring older inefficient fossil burning units at Cromby and Eddystone.
- Maintaining the quick-starting fossil generation capability within our fleet through the acquisition of the cleaner, more efficient natural gas-fired Wolf Hollow in Texas.
- More Renewables
- Constellation’s growing clean energy portfolio includes approximately 1,000 megawatts of renewable power generation owned or under contract.
- Citerion Wind
- Constellation Energy completed the 70-megawatt project in 2010 as Maryland’s first wind project. Criterion Wind is composed of 28 Clipper 2.5 MW Liberty Turbines on an eight-mile stretch of Backbone Mountain in Garrett County, Maryland.
- Nuclear Uprates
- Constellation has also been working to increase the efficiency of the nuclear generating equipment through nuclear uprates.
Learn more at the CENG LLC website
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Increasing Investment in Renewable Power
Exelon is expanding its strong position in renewable energy markets by entering into substantial new resource commitments and power purchase agreements with renewable suppliers
- Solar. In early 2010, Exelon completed the development of a 10-MW solar photovoltaic power plant, Exelon City Solar, on a brownfield site in an industrial corridor on the South Side of Chicago. Now the largest urban solar installation in the nation, the project displaces more than 20 million pounds of GHG emissions per year by replacing the need for the equivalent fossil generation. In September 2011, Exelon also acquired the 230-MW Antelope Valley Ranch One solar project under development in California. It is anticipated that this new clean generation will come online in late 2013.
- Wind. Also in 2010, Exelon spent approximately $900 million to purchase the assets that now comprise Exelon Wind, a division of Exelon Power. In December 2011, brought online the 90 MW Michigan II Wind Farm, adding to the 36 existing projects, which are located in eight states and provide enough capacity to power 160,000 to 220,000 households. Exelon Wind continues to explore new wind projects, including 140 MW in advanced stages of development.
- Hydroelectric. Exelon Power has filed Notices of Intent and Pre-Application Documents with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to relicense Conowingo and Muddy Run on the Susquehanna River. New licenses would extend the life of these low-carbon generation facilities for another 40 years.
Reducing Emissions from Fossil Generation
Approximately 94 percent of the direct emissions from the Exelon legacy sites are attributed to fossil power plant operations even though fossil generation only accounted for approximately 4.7% of our 2011 electricity output. Therefore, when demand increases, especially during peak load times which are primarily served by older, high emission fossil plants, GHG emissions increase as well.
Exelon maintains its plan to reduce these fossil generation emissions through the following initiatives:
- Retiring Older, Inefficient Fossil Plants. Exelon Power worked with the PJM Interconnection to complete the retirement of 3 coal-fired units and 1 gas/oil-fired unit at the Cromby and Eddystone Generating Stations.
- Acquisition of Cleaner, More Efficient Plants. In August 2011, Exelon acquired Wolf Hollow Generating Station, a combined-cycle natural gas plant in Texas adding 720 MW of generation which can support smoothing the sporadic availability of renewables on the grid. Natural gas emits 80% less sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, and 55% less carbon dioxide than coal, with no mercury or particulate emissions.
- Advancing Clean Coal Technologies. In January 2010, Exelon announced that Generation intends to become a member of the FutureGen Alliance; an owner and operating partner participant in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored FutureGen 2.0 Project. FutureGen 2.0 is a unique clean coal demonstration project currently under development in central Illinois which will design, build and operate the CO2 transportation system and sequestration facility along with an education and training center.
Focus on Safety
- In response to the nuclear situation in Japan, an extensive review concerning the safety of U.S. nuclear plants is underway. Initial assessments have concluded that Exelon’s plants are adequately designed to withstand earthquakes, floods, and other events. To learn more about the incident in Japan and the US Nuclear industry’s response, visit: safetyfirst.nei.org.
Expanding Zero-Emission Nuclear Generation
Operating our existing nuclear fleet safely and reliably is and always must be one of Exelon’s top priorities. In 2011, these assets represent approximately 20% of nuclear generating capacity in the United States, and over 92% of Exelon’s total electricity generation, or more than 139 million megawatt hours, came from nuclear power. Nuclear energy has an integral role in supporting our economy; it delivers safe, clean and affordable energy; and emits virtually no greenhouse gases.
Exelon Nuclear Texas Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exelon Generation, has an early site permit application on file with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an 11,500-acre site in Victory County, Texas. While we are not actively pursuing new plant development, the permit would reserve the property for nuclear construction for the next 20 years.
Nuclear Uprates
The nuclear uprates project consists of a series of planned capacity expansions across the existing nuclear fleet.
Exelon Nuclear added approximately 138 MW (ownership share) of additional capacity through uprates in 2011. Displacement from these nuclear plant capacity increases was determined to be 378,000 tonnes CO2e. The resulting increase in CO2e emissions-free electrical baseload generation displaces the need to run high CO2 producing fossil generation peaking plants.