Half a century of operation Oyster Creek, the oldest nuclear power plant in the United States, is officially decommissioned

The Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in New Jersey, the oldest nuclear power plant in the United States, officially shut down
at noon Monday after 49 years of operation.

"The Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, the oldest nuclear facility in the country, has officially closed," tweeted Exelon Generation, the plant's operator, "and for nearly half a century, the plant has provided enough carbon-free electricity
for about 600,000 homes.
" Protecting nuclear power is essential
to help decarbonize the grid.
”

"After 49 years of safe and reliable operation, the operator finally shut down the Oyster Creek power station
.
The plant's lifetime carbon-free footprint equates to reducing emissions from nearly 31 million vehicles
.
”

According to Exelon News, the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Forked River, New Jersey, began commercial operations
on December 23, 1969.

According to the press release, Exelon Generation announced the conditional sale of the nuclear power plant to Holtec International in July this year, with the transaction expected to close
in 2019.
After the closure, about 300 nuclear power plant employees will remain at the facility for post-closure follow-up
.
Other employees will be transferred to other departments of Exelon Corporation
.

The Associated Press reported that with the closure of the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, there are currently 98 nuclear power plants operating
in the United States.