The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved the sale of the FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant from Entergy to Exelon. The deal to keep the plant open is now one step closer to completion.
In their decision, FERC said the acquisition of FitzPatrick would not give Exelon too much market influence. The company already owns the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Facility, which is also located in Oswego County, and the Ginna Nuclear Plant in Wayne County. FERC's stamp of approval was one of the last needed for the sale after the New York State Public Service Commission signed off on the deal last month.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still reviewing the application after it requested additional information about staffing levels. But Entergy and Exelon appear optimistic. The plant's personnel are currently making arrangements to begin refueling FitzPatrick.
"Exelon and Entergy have satisfied the agreed upon conditions to proceed with the refueling of FitzPatrick," FitzPatrick spokesperson Tammy Holden wrote in an email. "We have received 5 out of the expected 7 loads of new fuel. The remaining loads are due in the coming weeks. More than 500 supplemental workers have joined FitzPatrick employees to assist with outage preparations for a January refueling. Approximately 500 more are expected to be on site working when the refueling outage begins."
Exelon agreed to buy FitzPatrick in august after New York state passed a comprehensive clean energy plan, called the Clean Energy Standard, that included a massive subsidy package for financially struggling nuclear plants.
