Braidwood Clean Energy Center
Braceville, Ill.
- Number of operating units: 2
- Site net generation: 2,389 net MW
- Customers served: More than 2 million homes
- Location: Approximately 20 miles southwest of Joliet, Ill. and 60 miles southwest of Chicago
- Number of Employees: 795
- Annual Payroll: $75 million
Braidwood Clean Energy Center produces enough electricity to power more than 2 million average American homes. The facility is built on a 4,457-acre site, and its cooling lake was formed from scarred farming land and an old strip mine. Units 1 and 2 began commercial operation in July and October of 1988, respectively. Both of Braidwood’s units are Westinghouse pressurized water reactors.
Braidwood Clean Energy Center, like all U.S. nuclear energy facilities, is based on a “defense-in-depth” design, which means there are redundant layers of safety. There are multiple layers of safety systems to provide water to the reactor core. These safety systems, and their backup safety systems, are powered by multiple and redundant power sources. Nuclear energy plants are built with multiple physical barriers, including thick, steel-reinforced concrete walls around the reactor to contain radioactive materials.
Our employees are personally committed to safety. They are highly-skilled workers and continually receive training to make our safe work practices even safer. We have a culture of continuous learning and implement lessons learned from operating experience to continue to operate safe nuclear energy facilities. Each employee has 100 percent accountability. We welcome strict, daily oversight by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). We work with the NRC to ensure that all regulations are complied with - and exceeded.