Illinois produces more nuclear electricity than any other state—most of the state’s electricity, year-in and year-out. In our area, it reaches 100% during low-demand periods—night-time, weekends, etc. Because it burns nothing, it is zero-emission, and about 80% of our clean electricity.
Illinois pioneered nuclear power. The first entirely commercial U.S. nuclear plant was Dresden-1, located about 35 miles south of Naperville. Built in 1960, it was the follow-on to a series of successful experiments at Argonne National Laboratory. In 1970 and 1971, it was replaced by two larger reactors.
Others followed in Illinois. In the early 1970s, two reactors were built on the Mississippi at Quad Cities and two more at Zion (shut down in 1998 for a variety of reasons). Then there were two more each at LaSalle County near Ottawa, at Byron near Rockford, and at Braidwood (ironically in Coal City), plus one at Clinton. Once ComEd reactors, these are now owned and operated by Constellation Energy (CEG).
CEG’s reactors run about 100% of the time, except for brief refueling shutdowns every 18 or 24 months. Those are scheduled for periods of low electricity demand—like getting your car repaired while you take winter break at Cancun.
For decades, our policymakers have ignored basic common sense: Don’t shut down reliable coal, gas, and nuclear generators until you have something better actually operating. What’s worse, demand is now increasing. The result is an emerging electricity supply crunch, much higher electricity prices, and a 7-fold increase in CEG’s stock price.
Long-overdue major federal and Illinois policy shifts finally reflect the tremendous economic and environmental assets that are our commercial reactors. In Illinois, we have a deeply experienced engineering and operating nuclear workforce and host communities that understand and appreciate the development and prosperity their plants bring. The rest of us need to note the broader environmental and economic benefits of nuclear power. We would be foolish to discard these assets or prevent their expansion.
BTW, Argonne National Laboratory is hosting an Open House Sat., June 27. Bring your family, but register first at www.anl.gov/event/open-house-2026.
