James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant
| Company type | Nuclear power plant |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Headquarters | Scriba, New York , United States |
Area served | New York |
| Products | Electricity generation (813 MW electrical capacity) |
| Owner | Constellation Energy |
| Parent | Exelon Generation (since 2017) |
James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant
Located in Scriba near Oswego, New York, along the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario, the James A. FitzPatrick (JAF) Nuclear Power Plant operates a single General Electric boiling water reactor (BWR-4, Mark 1). This unit has an electrical output capacity of 813 MW and a thermal power rating of 2,536 MW_th. The plant occupies a 900-acre area that also includes two reactors from the adjacent Nine Mile Point Nuclear Generating Station.
Initially built by Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, the ownership of FitzPatrick along with half of the Nine Mile Point site was later transferred to the Power Authority of the State of New York (PASNY), now known as the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The facility was named in honor of NYPA Chairman James A. FitzPatrick and remained under NYPA management until Entergy Corporation acquired it in November 2000.
In November 2015, Entergy declared intentions to shut down FitzPatrick during its upcoming fuel cycle in 2016 but instead opted to sell the plant to Exelon Generation for $110 million. On April 1, 2017, Exelon's generation arm, Constellation Energy, took over ownership and continues to operate the facility. In 2017, the plant achieved a capacity factor of 86.82%, producing 6,183 GWh of electricity.
Surrounding population
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission designates two emergency planning zones around nuclear facilities: a plume exposure pathway zone extending approximately , which addresses airborne radioactive hazards, and an ingestion pathway zone roughly , focused on potential contamination through food and water consumption.
As of 2010, about 35,136 people resided within of FitzPatrick—a population increase of 17.0% over ten years. Within a radius of , the population was 909,798, reflecting a growth rate of 3.2% since 2000. Nearby urban centers include Syracuse, located 36 miles away. These numbers do not account for Canadian residents such as those in Kingston, Ontario, situated 49 miles from the site.
Seismic risk
According to a 2010 assessment by the NRC, the annual probability of an earthquake intense enough to cause core damage at FitzPatrick is estimated at 1 in 163,934.
Announced closure
On November 2, 2015, Entergy Corporation revealed plans to cease operations at James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant due to increasing operational expenses and competition from more affordable natural gas sources. CEO Leo Denault attributed this decision to prolonged declines in wholesale electricity prices coupled with unfavorable market dynamics.
In response, New York Governor Cuomo instructed the Public Service Commission in 2016 to investigate subsidies funded by ratepayers aimed at supporting nuclear plants' financial viability amid competition from fossil fuel-based energy.
By August 2016, Exelon reached an agreement to acquire the plant pending regulatory clearance and finalized the purchase on March 31, 2017.
Electricity production
... [subsequent years summarized similarly with emphasis on annual totals and key monthly data] ...| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual (Total) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 597,968 | 597,968 | 509,185 | 595,092 | 619,284 | 599,220 | 612,745 | 602,328 | 568,545 | 593,355 | 599,600 | 625,670 | 7,120,960 |
| 2002 | 621,431 | 562,360 | 609,315 | 601,263 | 610,755 | 525,900 | 606,748 | 604,562 | 577,833 | 76,459 | 559,592 | 629,316 | 6,585,534 |
| 2003 | 607,100 | 477,671 | 440,371 | 609,042 | 628,627 | 606,649 | 620,585 | 533,662 | 581,680 | 628,339 | 602,262 | 629,917 | 6,565,905 |
| 2004 | 626,620 | 511,118 | 599,961 | 601,822 | 621,004 | 596,663 | 593,341 | 523,177</ small > | < small >410 ,343 </ small > | < small >122 ,108 </ small > | < small >612 ,230 </ small > | < small >637 ,537 </ small > | 6 ,055 ,924 |
| 2005 | < small >623 ,299 </ small > | < small >575 ,732 </ small > | < small >637 ,362 </ small > | < small >615 ,503 </ small > | < small >611 ,251 </ small > | < small >605 ,551 </ small > | < small >341 ,740 </ small > | < small >615 ,909 </ small > | < small >545 ,209 </ small > | < small >632 ,303 </ small > | < small >613 ,884 </ small > | < small >633 ,488 </ small > | 7 ,045 ,231 |
| 2006 | < small >623 ,636 </ small > | < small >573 ,222 </ small > | < small >629 ,548 </ small > | < small >583 ,621 </ small > | < small >627 ,680 </ small > | < small >609 ,240 </ small > | < small >619 ,587 </ small > | < small >616 ,671 </ small > | < small >585 ,962 </ small > | < small >140 ,831 </ small > | < small >508 ,101 </ small > | < small >640 ,170 </ small > | 6 ,758 ,269 |
| 2007 | < small >639 ,284 </ small > | < small >542 ,849 </ small > | < small >637 ,738 </ small > | < small >617 ,189 </ small > | < small >584 ,379 </ small > | < small >615 ,692 </ small > | < small >630 ,361 </ small > | < small >561 ,609 </ small > | < small >542 ,769 </ small > | < small >477 ,499 </ small > | < small >430 ,705 </ small > | < small >638 ,276 </ small > | 6 ,918 ,350 |
| 2008 | < small >611 ,178 </ small > | < small >596 ,709 </ small > | < small >635 ,678 </ small > | < small >523 ,100 </ small > | < small >599 ,707 </ small > | < small >604 ,352 </ small > | < small >584 ,963 </ small > | < small >606 ,886 </ small > | < small >250 ,801 </.small> | 618 103 | 637 317 | ||
| 2025 | 574410| 634570| 609032| 634511| |
See also
- Darlington Nuclear Generating Station — situated on the opposite side of Lake Ontario
- List of nuclear reactors
- New York energy law
- Nuclear power
- Nuclear power plant
- Pickering Nuclear Generating Station — positioned across Lake Ontario