Three Mile Island Plant to Shut Down in September After Bailout Proposal Fails

MIDDLETOWN, PA—Citing little progress on a bailout bill that would have provided the state’s nuclear power plant operators approximately $500 million, Exelon Generation reports it will shut down its Three Mile Island Generating Station Unit 1 nuclear plant on Sept. 30, 2019.

Exelon originally announced the plant closure in May 2017, but in an announcement on Wednesday stated that with just three legislative session days remaining in May and no action taken to advance the bailout legislation—House Bill 11 and Senate Bill 510—“it is clear a state policy solution will not be enacted before June 1, in time to reverse the premature retirement of the plant.”

Last month, Exelon Generation filed the federally required Post Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report detailing plans for Three Mile Island after its final shutdown, including transitioning staff in three phases down to 50 full-time employees by 2022. In the filing, Exelon Generation selected “SAFSTOR,” one of three decommissioning options for the plant, and outlined a plan to dismantle large components, including the station’s cooling towers, beginning in 2074.

“Today is a difficult day for our employees, who were hopeful that state policymakers would support valuing carbon-free nuclear energy the same way they value other forms of clean energy in time to save TMI from a premature closure,” said Bryan Hanson, Exelon senior vice president and chief nuclear officer.

Hanson adds that Exelon will offer a position elsewhere to every TMI employee who wishes to stay with the company and is willing to relocate. He adds, that the company “will do all we can to support the community, the employees and their families during this difficult period.”

“I want to thank the hundreds of men and women who will continue to safely operate TMI through September. We will offer a position elsewhere in Exelon to every employee who wishes to stay with the company and is willing to relocate, and we will do all we can to support the community, the employees and their families during this difficult period,” Hanson added.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf commented on the Three Mile Island closure announcement by stating, “I was disappointed to learn this morning’s unfortunate news and continue to stand today with the workers at Three Mile Island and the surrounding community. I have directed the Department of Labor & Industry to immediately begin plans to engage with these workers about their futures, and a Rapid Response team is in the process of being deployed. They are skilled workers who are in-demand in the economy.”

He added, “I still believe it is essential to continue this important conversation about preserving and growing Pennsylvania’s carbon-free energy footprint. I remain hopeful that a consensus on a path forward can be reached in the coming weeks.”

“Although we see strong support in Harrisburg and throughout Pennsylvania to reduce carbon emissions and maintain the environmental and economic benefits provided by nuclear energy, we don’t see a path forward for policy changes before the June 1 fuel purchasing deadline for TMI,” said Kathleen Barrón, Exelon senior vice president, government and regulatory affairs and public policy.

She added, “While TMI will close in September as planned, the state has eight other zero-carbon nuclear units that provide around-the-clock clean energy, avoiding millions of tons of carbon emissions every year. We will continue to work with the legislature and all stakeholders to enact policies that will secure a clean energy future for all Pennsylvanians.”