OREANDA-NEWS. Operators returned Byron Generating Station Unit 2 to full power Thursday, May 19. The unit, which supplies power to more than 1 million homes, was taken offline April 18 for a planned refueling and maintenance outage.

During the outage, workers performed more than 13,000 detailed inspections, maintenance activities and equipment upgrades. By replacing and updating equipment on an ongoing basis, it ensures the plant uses the most up-to-date technology. In addition, about one-third of the nuclear fuel was replaced during the outage.

“Illinois homes and businesses count on reliable energy production,” said Mark Kanavos, Byron Station’s site vice president. “The work completed during the outage is key to ensuring customers have power when they need it most.”

More than 1,200 temporary skilled workers from local union halls and technical experts from other Exelon Generation facilities supported Byron Station’s employees during the refueling outage. These additional workers create a temporary economic boost for area hotels, restaurants and other retail businesses.

Byron Generating Station is in Ogle County, Ill., about 25 miles southwest of Rockford. Join us on twitter and You Tube.