The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said on Thursday that it has renewed the operating licenses of the Byron nuclear plant in Byron, Illinois, for 20 years.
With these renewals, Unit 1 will be authorized to operate through Oct. 31, 2044 and Unit 2 will be allowed to operate through Nov. 6, 2046.
The NRC said that with this announcement, there are currently 80 U.S. nuclear plants operating with renewed licenses, and 14 renewal applications are currently undergoing the review process.
The finalized reports on environmental and safety evaluations were issued in July. Local news station, NBC 13 WREX said the station supports approximately 5,100 jobs in the area and contributes approximately $1.7 billion to the Illinois economy.
