By Illinois Radio Network
CLINTON – Local leaders in DeWitt County and the Quad Cities always knew they could lose their nuclear power plants, so the announcement that two plants most likely will close isn’t much of a surprise.
Exelon is moving ahead with plans to close nuclear power plants in Clinton and Cordova.
The utility company said without state help, including legislation declaring nuclear power ‘green’ and allowing a rate hike, the plants would be closed.
Lawmakers in Springfield didn’t act. Exelon, on Thursday, did.
“Downstate, and of course western Illinois and the Quad Cities, we feel like we’re along for the ride,” said Drue Mielke, a Rock Island County board member. “We feel like (the state) is controlled by one party. And those interests aren’t being served over here.”
Mielke said the Quad Cities stands to lose close to 900 well-paying jobs. He said the ripple effect will be much larger.
“What is the effect of a stuttered nuclear plant in your county?” Mielke asked. “What does that do to land values?”
DeWitt County Board Chairman David Newberg already knows what losing the Clinton plant will mean.
“The county side of it … it’s close to $2 million,” he said. “The school district it’s close to $8 million. Where do we replace those monies?”
Newberg said the Clinton plant, with 600 employees, is the biggest employer in Dewitt County and one of the biggest employers in three or four surrounding counties.
“Those jobs don’t exist anywhere else in DeWitt County,” Newberg said. “[Workers] are going to go where they can find those jobs.”
Newberg said he expects families to start to move as soon as the plant closes.
“Then everything becomes a huge snowball effect.”
Exelon said it plans to close the Clinton plant in June 2017. The Cordova plant is scheduled to close in June 2018.
