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Byron Clean Energy Center

Nuclear: An Ideal Foundation for Our Clean Energy Future

With iconic twin cooling towers overlooking Illinois' Rock River Valley, Byron Clean Energy Center’s two nuclear reactors can produce up to 2,347 megawatts (MW) of zero-emissions energy, enough carbon-free electricity to power the equivalent of more than 1.7 million homes. 

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U.S. nuclear energy facilities are initially licensed to operate for 40 years and a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rule allows licensees to apply for initial and subsequent license renewals of up to 20 years each after the initial 40-year term. The NRC approved initial license renewal on November 19, 2015, authorizing  Byron Unit 1 to operate through 2044 and Unit 2 to operate through 2046.

Safety is Constellation’s first and most critical obligation. Nuclear power plants are among the best-protected private sector facilities in America, with monitoring and inspections by plant owners, local officials, and the federal government.

Learn more about the measures that we take to keep our employees, customers, and communities safe.

Byron Clean Energy Center has been part of Byron, Illinois and its surrounding communities for more than three decades. We provide hundreds of well-paying jobs and millions of dollars in economic support, including about $38 million in taxes annually for schools, roads and other public services.

Byron Clean Energy Center is referenced in legal and regulatory filings as Byron Station.

Click the links below to jump directly to that section. 

Evacuation Basics

 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission requires specific plans for protecting the public within an approximate 10-mile radius of any nuclear power plant. Know your location on the map and mark it. Some primary evacuation routes are listed below. In an emergency, follow the directions given on the radio, even if different from those shown below. Broadcasted directions will be based on actual road and weather conditions and wind direction — helping to ensure your safety as you leave the evacuation area.

Download Evacuation Map

Evacuation Routes
Dixon

  • Illinois 2 south
  • Illinois 38 west
  • Illinois 26 south

Rockford

  • Illinois 2 north
  • Illinois 251 north

Freeport

  • Illinois 72 west to Illinois 26 north
  • US 20 west

Keep listening to your radio or TV for the latest information and instructions. Remain calm. Do not rush.

Information for Farmers
When advised to do so, remove all livestock from pasture, shelter if possible, and provide them with stored feed and protected water. The county U.S. Department of Agriculture representative will provide further instructions regarding the protection of livestock and foodstuffs.

If You Have Livestock
When advised to do so, remove all livestock from pasture, shelter if possible and provide them with stored feed and protected water. If shelter-in-place and/or evacuation is recommended, efforts to care for livestock should be discontinued in the affected areas and the shelter-in-place and/or evacuation recommendation should be followed.

School Information
If your child’s school is in session at the time evacuation is recommended, children attending schools located within the Emergency Planning Zone will be transported to designated host schools outside the area. They will remain under supervision until picked up by parents or guardians. These host schools have been planned to coincide with main evacuation routes. Children whose homes are inside the Emergency Planning Zone, but who attend school outside the emergency planning zone, will not be sent home if an evacuation is recommended. They will either remain at the school or be transported to a host school or a mass care facility and be under supervision until picked up by parents or guardians. Contact school officials for more information.

Non-Public School and Day Care Information
Parents and guardians with children attending non-public schools or day care facilities within the Emergency Planning Zone should become familiar with the facilities’ emergency plans. Contact the facility operator for more information.
 

EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM / SIRENS

The Emergency Alert System will provide you with official information in case of tornadoes, floods, nuclear plant accidents or other emergencies. Turn on your radio or TV for official information and instructions.

Emergency Alert Radio Stations:

FM 102.3, WYOT
AM 1060, WRHL

Warning Sirens
Communities across the United States may use outdoor warning sirens for many purposes. Sirens are not exclusive to nuclear power facilities. Sirens may be used to warn the public of many hazards, including fires, flooding, and other events that warrant public notifications. If you hear a siren, you should tune to one of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) stations listed in this site for official information. The sirens generate a loud, continuous pitch for at least three minutes. In Illinois, sirens are tested on the first Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m.

Emergency Broadcasts
Authorities relay emergency information and instructions to the public over local radio and TV stations, including the radio stations listed in this brochure. In an emergency, these stations are your best source of accurate news.

IPAWS
The Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) is FEMA's national system for local alerting that provides authenticated emergency and life-saving information to the public through mobile phones using Wireless Emergency Alerts, to radio and television via the Emergency Alert System, and on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Radio. Learn more from Integrated Public Alert & Warning System | FEMA.gov.

 

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

Illinois Emergency Management Agency
2200 S. Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, Illinois 62703
(217) 782-7860
www.illinois.gov/ready

Ogle County Emergency Management Agency
202 S. First Street Oregon, Illinois 61061
Office: (815) 562-1001
24 Hour: (815) 732 2136

Winnebago County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency
650 W. State Street 
Rockford, IL 61002
(815) 319-6015

Wisconsin Emergency Management
2400 Wright Street 
Madison, Wisconsin 53704
dma.wi.gov/DMA/wem

BROCHURE

Nuclear power plant licensees, including Constellation, are required by the federal government to provide emergency planning information to the public annually.

Constellation provides emergency planning information to the public by mailing postcards to all homes and businesses within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone surrounding each nuclear plant.  The postcard has this website address along with a number to request a printed brochure.

This website is designed to provide emergency planning information in an interactive electronic format compatible with your smart phone or personal computer.

A PDF copy of the public information brochure can be downloaded below. It is recommended that you download an electronic copy of the brochure and save it to your phone or computer for reference in the event of an Internet outage during an emergency. You may also print a copy for your reference. If you do not have a printer, please call Constellation at (800) 220-2159 for a printed brochure.

Download Brochure