Quad Cities Generating Station employees welcomed local and state officials to the site today to unveil the nuclear station's expanded, state of the art employee training center. The project created 600 direct and indirect jobs for local contractors, laborers and suppliers.
The Professional Learning Center project was among $20 million in construction and facility improvements at Quad Cities Station over the past year. The project was spearheaded by Burling Builders, Inc., an African American-owned, Chicago-based firm that has successfully completed similar facilities in Illinois. This partnership is an example of Exelon Generation's overall commitment to advancing supplier diversity.
Construction on the $7 million facility began after passage of the Future Energy Jobs Act, which helped secure competitive electric rates for Illinois homes and businesses, preserved and created good-paying jobs and spurred billions of dollars in investment in clean energy and energy efficiency across the state.
"This ribbon cutting is more than just the opening of our newly expanded Professional Learning Center, it represents the next chapter in Quad Cities' bright future," said Site Vice President Ken Ohr. "June 2018 was the exact month Quad Cities was to be shut down, but thanks to Gov. Rauner, legislative leaders and our many local supporters, we continue to deliver carbon-free power and good-paying jobs for Illinois families."
In addition to the Professional Learning Center expansion, Rock Island-based Valley Construction received a more than $10 million contract for expansion of the station's used fuel storage pad, more than a third of which will be spent with a local diversity certified subcontractor. Koehler Electric, Shive-Hattery and Crawford Company also spearheaded multiple facility upgrades and remodeling projects this year at the nuclear plant. Quad Cities-based Ryan and Associates also recently completed construction of a new maintenance facility on the north side of plant property.
