FirstEnergy moves ahead to shut down Beaver Valley nuke plant

Earlier today FirstEnergy Corp. announced it has filed a certification letter to shut down its three nuclear power plants — two in Ohio and Unit 1 and Unit 2 of the Beaver Valley Power Station at Shippingport, Pa.

Beaver Valley is the only nuclear power plant along the Ohio River.

All three plants would cease operations by the end of 2021. Beaver Valley Unit 1 would be retired by May 31, 2021, and Unit 2 would cease operations by Oct. 31, 2021.

FirstEnergy had previously said it would close it three nuclear plants if it did not receive regulatory help or if it could not sell them. As neither option panned out, the company is moving ahead with closure.

The next step is for regional grid operator PJM Interconnection to certify that the grid would not lose reliability should the three plants close.