Exelon To Hire 400 Workers After Rauner Signed Law Last Week

Worldview 5.7.12
Steam escapes from Exelon Corp.'s nuclear plant in Byron, Ill. Exelon Corp. agreed to buy Constellation Energy Group Inc. for $7.9 billion last year, the latest in a string of acquisitions in the electric power industry. AP/Robert Ray
Worldview 5.7.12
Steam escapes from Exelon Corp.'s nuclear plant in Byron, Ill. Exelon Corp. agreed to buy Constellation Energy Group Inc. for $7.9 billion last year, the latest in a string of acquisitions in the electric power industry. AP/Robert Ray

Exelon To Hire 400 Workers After Rauner Signed Law Last Week

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CLINTON, Ill. (AP) — Exelon Corp. says it plans to hire more than 400 permanent employees to work on capital projects at two Illinois nuclear plants.

The company’s Wednesday announcement comes a week after Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner approved a plan that will provide billions of dollars in subsidies to Exelon to keep the pair of unprofitable nuclear plants from closing prematurely. The new law includes $235 million a year for Exelon. The plants are in the Quad Cities in western Illinois and Clinton in central Illinois.

Exelon says the projects are aimed at enhancing long-term equipment reliability, improving safety and ensuring regulatory compliance. Exelon says the capital projects were put on hold or canceled but are now back on track after Rauner signed the legislation into law.