Reactors Are Closing
There are currently 94 commercial nuclear power reactors licensed to operate in the United States.
Even though the large majority of these nuclear power stations have received a 20-year operating license extension (and some have even applied for an additional 20-year extension on top of that!), thankfully, record-breaking numbers of atomic reactors are permanently closing.
Nuclear power is economically failing in an electricity market dominated by more competitive energy generation from natural gas (which, through fracking, comes at the cost of disastrous groundwater pollution), and increasing more wind and solar power. More conservation and greater energy efficiency use in homes, businesses and industry continues to drive electricity demand down. An inherently dangerous nuclear industry is aging and unpredictable accidents will occur. As a result, atomic reactors are requiring more costly inspections, maintenance, repairs and generic backfits that drive costs up and force more reactors into permanent closure.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. REACTOR CLOSURES SINCE 2013
Duane Arnold (IA) closed 08/24/2020
Indian Point-2 (NY) closed 04/30/2020
Three Mile Island-1 (PA) closed 09/20/2019
Pilgrim (MA) closed 05/31/2019
Oyster Creek (NJ) closed 09/17/2018
Fort Calhoun (NE) closed 10/24/2016
Vermont Yankee (VT) closed 12/29/2014
San Onofre 2 & 3 (CA) closed 06/12/2013
Kewaunee (WI) closed 05/07/2013
Crystal River (FL) closed 02/20/2013
ANNOUNCED U.S. REACTOR CLOSURES
Byron Units 1 & 2 (IL) 09/30/2021 Exelon announces the early closure of two pressurized water reactors in Illinois due to "severe economic challenges."
Dresden Unit 2 & 3 (IL) 11/30/2021 Exelon announces the early closure of two boiling water reactors in Illinois due to "severe economic challenges."
FitzPatrick (NY) 1/27/2017 [Was to have closed, but now Gov. Cuomo's nuclear tax, a bailout at ratepayer expense, of $7.6 billion, would extend upstate NY reactor operations for a dozen years beyond 2017, including at FitzPatrick]
Ginna (NY) March 2017 (Was to have closed, absent state approved ratepayer bailout; see FitzPatrick note above re: Gov. Cuomo's nuclear tax)
Clinton (IL) 06/01/2017 (Was to have closed, absent early Dec., 2016 state-approved ratepayer bailout approved by Gov. Rauner and the State Legislature)
Palisades (MI) October 1, 2022 (Entergy had announced, in early Dec. 2016, it would close Palisades by Oct. 1, 2018. The sudden reversal, to stay open four additional years, was made abruptly after the Michigan Public Service Commission’s order in late Sepember 2017 that Consumers Energy could recover only $136.6 million of the $172 million it requested for ending out the PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) early. As Tim Judson of NIRS put it, Entergy could have found the $35.4 million 'shortfall' in its couch cushions! See Beyond Nuclear's press statement on the day Entergy reversed itself, and decided to keep operating Palisades at least an additional four years. Palisades has actually been rubber-stamped by NRC to operate till 2031, despite Beyond Nuclear et al.'s best efforts to the contrary.)
Quad Cities 1 & 2 (IL) 06/01/2018 (Was to have closed, absent early Dec., 2016 state-approved ratepayer bailout; see Clinton above)
Davis-Besse (OH) 05/31/2020 (unless FirstEnergy secures a bailout to prop it up longer; it is rubber-stamped by NRC to operate till 2037, for 60 years! See here for more info.) Tom Henry at the Toledo Blade reports that the announced shutdown date for Davis-Besse is May 31, 2020. A $1.1 billion bailout, at ratepayer expense, was approved by the state legislature and signed into law by Republican Ohio governor Dewine, so Davis-Besse will keep operating past the previously announced 5/31/20 shutdown date. The FBI and Justice Department investigation has brought Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges against Ohio House Chairman and four others in connection with passage of the bailout law. By September 2020, repeal of the bailout is popular.
Duane Arnold (IA) Closure had been long scheduled for "Late" 2020 (Sept. 2020, or later), as reported by The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, IA. More recently, the permanent closure for good date had been scheduled for late October 2020, but as noted above, Duane Arnold was closed even earlier -- August 24, 2020 -- due to damage from the severe derecho in the Cedar Rapids area. See news coverage.
Indian Point 3 (NY) 4/30/2021 (or 4/30/2025), per agreement with State of NY and Riverkeeper
Perry (OH) 5/31/2021 (unless FirstEnergy secures a bailout to prop it up longer; it is rubber-stamped by NRC to operate till 2037, for 60 years! See here for more info.) Tom Henry at the Toledo Blade reports that the announced shutdown date for Perry is May 31, 2021. A $1.1 billion bailout, at ratepayer expense, has been approved by the state legislature and signed into law by Republican Ohio governor Dewine, so Perry will keep operating past the previously announced 5/31/21 shutdown date. The FBI and Justice Department investigation has brought Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges against Ohio House Chairman and four others in connection with passage of the bailout law. By September 2020, repeal of the bailout is popular.
Beaver Valley Unit 1 (PA) 5/31/2021 (unless FirstEnergy secures a bailout to prop it up longer; it is rubber-stamped by NRC to operate till 2037, for 60 years! See here for more info.) Tom Henry at the Toledo Blade reports that the announced shutdown date for Beaver Valley Unit 1 is May 31, 2021. UPDATE March 16, 2020 (FirstEnergy, now Energy Harbor Corp, announces closure notice to be rescinded)
Beaver Valley Unit 2 (PA) 10/31/2021 (unless FirstEnergy secures a bailout to prop it up longer; it is rubber-stamped by NRC to operate till 2037, for 60 years! See here for more info.) Tom Henry at the Toledo Blade reports that the announced shutdown date for Beaver Valley Unit 2 is October 31, 2021. UPDATE MARCH 16, 2020 (FirstEnergy, now Energy Harbor Corp, announces closure notice to be rescinded).
Diablo Canyon 1 (CA) 11/02/2024 (PG&E will not seek a 20-year license extension)
Diablo Canyon 2 (CA) 08/26/2025 (PG&E will not seek a 20-year license extension)
CANADIAN REACTORS ON THE GREAT LAKES AND U.S. BORDER ARE CLOSING
[Please note that the Gentilly Unit 2 reactor in Quebec, Canada also closed in Dec., 2012.]
[Please note that the remaining six operable reactors at the Pickering nuclear power plant, immediately east of Toronto in Ontario, Canada also were to have been closed in 2019; however, in late 2015-early 2016, a five-year extension of operations was announced, till 2024 -- and as of August 26, 2020, it is now reported Pickering may keep operating into 2025; two reactors there already previously closed for good.]
For the list of all permanently closed reactors in the U.S., see Appendix C (but also add the following four reactors which closed after NRC's publication date: Oyster Creek which closed 09/17/2018; Pilgrim which closed 05/31/2019; Three Mile Island-1 which closed 9/20/2019; and Indian Point-2 which closed 4/30/2020) of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Annual Information Digest, Volume 30, 2018-2019. The grand total of permanently shutdown U.S. reactors is thus 34, as of 4/30/2020.