Byron Generating Station — United States of America
Nuclear power plant in Illinois, United States of America. Approximate location 42.0742, -89.2819.
NuclearIllinoisUnited States of America
Byron Generating Station is a 2,452 MW nuclear power station in Illinois, United States of America. It is operated by Exelon Nuclear. Based on reported annual generation of 20,118 GWh, it can supply roughly 5.7 million homes. It ranks #86 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1986, it is around 40 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, nuclear supplies about 17.4% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0006023.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM Global Nuclear Power Tracker September 2025 operating-unit sum (location L100000500048); fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 2,452 MW, Byron Generating Station is well above the median nuclear plant in United States of America (1,350 MW). Nuclear plants split uranium to raise steam with no direct CO₂; they run as steady baseload with very high capacity factors and the longest operating lifetimes of any thermal plant.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 94%, from 20,118 GWh of reported generation; the median for 57 nuclear plants in United States of America that report generation is 89%
- Generation trend
- 19,547 GWh in 2013 and 20,118 GWh in 2019 (+3%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2019: 20,118 GWh; 2017: 19,144 GWh
- Share of United States of America nuclear capacity
- 0.9% of 270,415 MW across 176 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 75 of 111 dated nuclear plants in United States of America are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Exelon Nuclear. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This nuclear plant uses heat from nuclear fission to raise steam for a turbine-generator. It sits in a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 42.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 49% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 79/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with thermal cycling the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #32 largest nuclear power plant of 176 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 176 nuclear power plants in this dataset, together about 270,415 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Orchard Hills Renewable Energy Station · Waste · 16.2 MW · Illinois
- Rockford Solar Farm · Solar · 2.6 MW · Illinois
- Kishwaukee CHP Plant · Biomass · 3 MW · Illinois
- NRG Rockford II Energy Center · Gas · 168 MW · Illinois
- NRG Rockford I · Gas · 316 MW · Illinois
- South Main Street · Oil · 15.8 MW · Illinois
Location
Coordinates 42.0742, -89.2819 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Byron Generating Station?
Byron Generating Station is a 2,452 MW nuclear power plant in Illinois, United States of America, commissioned in 1986.
How much electricity does Byron Generating Station generate?
Byron Generating Station generates about 20,118 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Byron Generating Station?
Byron Generating Station is operated by Exelon Nuclear.