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Coal burn could increase with Illinois nuclear unit offline: PJM

With the shutdown of Exelon Generation's 1,242-MW Braidwood-1 nuclear power unit in Braceville, Illinois, this week, there could be an uptick of coal burn in PJM's power grid, a spokesman with the regional transmission organization said Tuesday.

Exelon announced the nuclear unit, located about 50 miles southwest of Chicago, was shut Monday for a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage. Exelon does not disclose the expected duration of its outages for commercial reasons. However, the average duration of refueling outages at US power reactors in 2014 was about 37 days, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

When a unit is shut, other PJM plants, including coal- and gas-burning units, will be used to make up the difference in power demand, PJM spokesman Ray Dotter said Tuesday.

"Whatever is the next unit in economic-merit order ... coal or gas, that's what you call on," Dotter said. "But I can't say with any certainty what it would be."

According to PJM policy, Dotter said he could not confirm the Braidwood-1 unit was shut or talk about any specific plans to make up for a shortfall in generation from that particular unit.

Dotter said generating units not currently operating could be started during peak-demand hours or if there is a significant increase in demand.

Also, units already generating power but running below maximum capacity could increase their generation if needed, he said.

A total of 44.9% of PJM power generation in January was by coal burn, PJM Environmental Information Services data showed. Of that amount, 37.4% was from bituminous and anthracite, 5.8% was from sub-bituminous, and 1.7% was from coal waste and other coal.

In the same time period, 32% of PJM power generation was by nuclear and 18% by natural gas.

In January 2014, 50% of PJM power generation was from coal, 31.9% was nuclear and 14.5% was natural gas.

In all of 2014, 45.5% of PJM power generation was from coal, 34.7% was nuclear and 17.5% was natural gas.

source: http://www.platts.com