HARRISBURG – Early this morning, Exelon Generation announced that it will officially close the Three Mile Island Unit-1 Nuclear Generating Station (TMI) in Middletown, Pennsylvania. This closure will result in the loss of nearly 700 high-paying jobs, approximately 837 megawatts of zero-carbon power to our grid, and millions of dollars annually in tax revenues for local communities.
“I recognize that there are many families and communities across Lancaster County and all of South Central Pennsylvania who are receiving devastating news this morning.
“To that end, I would like to acknowledge and thank the hard-working men and women who have diligently served our Commonwealth through their important work at TMI to safely produce electricity in an environmentally responsible manner to meet our 21st century energy needs.
“From the beginning, I have seen my role as co-chair of the Nuclear Energy Caucus to elevate a conversation around the important role of nuclear power in Pennsylvania, and then to ultimately put a proposal on the table that would preserve these assets.
“Unfortunately, it is clear at this point in time that there is not sufficient support to advance a proposal in time to preserve TMI.
“There are those who believe that the economic and market pressures that ultimately forced TMI to prematurely retire are isolated to that facility.
“Make no mistake, these pressures will soon be felt by all of the other nuclear plants across Pennsylvania, and unfortunately Exelon’s announcement only serves to reinforce that conclusion.
“The very thorough review completed by the Nuclear Energy Caucus has led me to believe that, absent federal or state action, the premature closure of the Commonwealth’s nuclear power plants will trigger severe impacts with regards to diminished grid resiliency, increased monthly electric bills, weakened portfolio diversity, and poorer air quality in this Commonwealth.
“I hope that I am wrong with respect to these economic and environmental consequences.
“I have been clear from the beginning that the policy goal has always been to retain the diverse energy mix in our state, prevent a monopolization of the electric grid that would expose ratepayers to excessive hikes in their energy bills, and preserve clean and efficient energy production.
“While I have great respect for the important benefits that competitive markets have provided Pennsylvania consumers, I also firmly believe that continuing to make long-term energy policy decisions based exclusively on short-term marginal cost is misguided.
“To that end, I remain committed to this issue. As such, I will continue to work with my colleagues and stakeholders to arrive at a better solution for ratepayers, the environment, and for our Commonwealth as a whole.”
CONTACT: Ryan Boop (717) 787-4420