Oyster Creek Generating Station

Oyster Creek Generating Station is located in Lacey Township, Ocean County, near the New Jersey Shore.

Oyster Creek began operating in December 1969 as the first large-scale commercial nuclear power plant in the United States. Its single boiling water reactor produces 645 net megawatts (MW), enough electricity to power 600,000 average American homes.

In 2009, we received a license renewal for Oyster Creek, permitting an additional 20 years of generating zero-emissions electricity.

Generating More Low-Carbon Electricity

As part of Exelon 2020, Exelon Nuclear launched a series of planned power uprates across the company's nuclear fleet that will generate additional generation capacity within 8 years without turning a spade of earth. Uprate projects improve the efficiency and increase electricity output of a nuclear generating unit through upgrades to plant equipment. The projects take advantage of new production and measurement technologies, new materials and learning from a half-century of nuclear power operations

Emergency Planning

Oyster Creek employs a sophisticated emergency response plan to protect public health and safety approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the state of New Jersey. The Emergency Plan includes coordination with local counties, municipalities and school districts.

Supporting the Local Economy

A majority of Oyster Creek’s 700 employees live in Ocean County, New Jersey. The operation of the Oyster Creek plant increased wages to Ocean County residents by $52.9 million in 2003 and across New Jersey by $69.3 million. The operation of Oyster Creek and the increased output associated with it accounts for 1,034 jobs in New Jersey and 915 jobs in Ocean County.

Community Involvement

Oyster Creek aims to be a good neighbor and is very active in the local community.

Charitable Giving & Volunteerism.
- Oyster Creek has the largest employee-run United Way campaign in Ocean County. In 2010, Oyster Creek employees donated $285,000 to the Ocean County United Way.
- In 2010, Oyster Creek will host 150 Boy Scouts members in the plant's control room simulator to help them earn their Nuclear Science merit badge.
- Also this year, Oyster Creek donated $8,500 to the Lanoka Harbor EMS for an oxygen cascade system; $10,000 to Lacey Township Schools to support the purchase of educational equipment; and $2,500 to the Fish Hawks Saltwater Anglers Club to support the purchase of fishing rods and equipment to be given to youth members of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County.

Site Vice President: Mike Massaro

Plant Manager: Pete Orphanos

Route 9 South PO Box 388
Forked River, New Jersey
08731
directions

Snapshot

Number of units: 1
Total site net generation: 645 MW
2009 net generation: 4.9 million MWh
Customers served: 600,000 homes
2009 capacity factor: 91%

Fact Sheet: Oyster Creek Generating Station PDF | 54 KB; Emergency Plan PDF | 2.2 MB

Inside Oyster Creek: A look inside Oyster Creek's control room simulator. Licensed reactor operators spend one shift training in the simulator, for every five shifts spent working in the plant's control room.

Inside Oyster Creek: An employee from Normandeau Associates, Inc. - an environmental consultant - collects water samples from a well on Oyster Creek's property.

Meet Our Employees: Kevin Lisicki, senior operations training instructor, joined us in May 2008 after 12 years in the U.S. Navy Nuclear Training Program. In his role, Kevin conducts initial training for equipment operator candidates and continuous training for existing equipment operators.

Inside Oyster Creek: One of Oyster Creek's main turbine low pressure rotors is prepared for installation after maintenance was performed.

Inside Oyster Creek: Oyster Creek recently installed a new condensate pre-filter system that uses a hallow fiber filter to reduce iron in the reactor coolant systems.

Inside Oyster Creek: Maintenance work is performed on a pipe inside Oyster Creek.

Meet Our Employees: Preeti Furtado, instruments and controls engineer, is part of the plant’s engineering response team. Preeti’s team responds to emergent work requests from other departments that require immediate resolution, a departure from the traditional long-term engineering projects.

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