The US Department of Energy has awarded $50m to Exelon Generation as part of a cost-share agreement to digitalise the control room at Limerick nuclear power station in Pennsylvania. Once implemented, the two-unit facility will house the first fully digital safety system upgrade at a US nuclear power plant.

“Through this partnership, DOE and Exelon will pave the way for modernisation of control room systems across the US nuclear fleet,” said Kathryn Huff, acting assistant secretary for nuclear energy. “These upgrades will strengthen the case for extending the operation of US nuclear plants into the future, ensuring we maintain access to our nation’s largest source of emissions-free electricity.”