Achieving the same amount of zero emissions power through renewables and storage would be 12 times more expensive than continuing to run Illinois’ nuclear plants and cost the state’s consumers $80bn, Exelon chief executive officer Chris Crane said during the company’s Q1 earnings call.

State and federal officials are exploring ways to keep nuclear plants open as they are considered a key part of any plan to decarbonise the power sector. However, a proposal from Illinois’ Democratic governor. J.B. Pritzker to support Exelon’s Byron and Dresden plants, is “not adequate”, Mr Crane said.

Mr Crane dismissed the prospect that federal legislation could pass in time to prevent the closure of the Byron and Dresden plants, expressing more optimism in a state solution. “We’re confident that we’ve got adequate support within the administration and within the legislature, and we’ll see how it goes,” he said.