NRC opens special inspection at two-unit Dresden plant after battery connection breaks
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the corrosion damage was not caught during routine checks and that similar battery problems have occurred at other nuclear plants.
Key facts
- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said in an announcement dated October 14, 2026, that it has begun a special inspection at the Dresden Nuclear Power Station in Morris, Illinois.
- Constellation Energy operates the two-unit plant, where staff found a corroded battery connection that broke during maintenance, the NRC said.
- The battery is part of a backup power system that supports equipment used to safely shut down the reactor, and the NRC said the issue did not affect public health and safety.
- The NRC said a special inspection was warranted because the damage was not caught during routine checks and similar battery problems have occurred at other nuclear plants.
- Region III Administrator Mohammed Shuaibi said an independent NRC review will help the agency understand how the battery issue developed and whether improvements are needed.
- A team of two NRC inspectors will examine how the damage happened, whether regular inspections should have found it sooner, how the plant responded, and whether other plants could face a similar issue, with findings to be published in an inspection report.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has begun a special inspection at the Dresden Nuclear Power Station in Morris, Illinois, the agency said in a Region III announcement dated October 14, 2026. The inspection follows the discovery by plant staff of a corroded battery connection that broke during maintenance. Constellation Energy operates the two-unit plant, according to the announcement.
The battery is part of a backup power system that supports equipment used to safely shut down the reactor, the NRC said. The agency said the issue did not affect public health and safety.
The NRC said it determined that a special inspection was warranted because the damage was not caught during routine checks and because similar battery problems have occurred at other nuclear plants. The announcement, issued by the NRC's Region III office, carries document number III-26-015.
Scope of the inspection
A team of two NRC inspectors will examine how the damage happened, whether the plant's regular inspections should have found it sooner, how the plant responded, and whether other plants could face a similar issue, the agency said.
Region III administrator's statement
"An independent NRC review will help us understand how this battery issue developed and whether improvements are needed," Region III Administrator Mohammed Shuaibi said. "We're committed to ensuring the plant's oversight processes remain strong and that similar problems are prevented at other facilities."
Reporting
The NRC said inspectors will document their findings in a publicly available inspection report once the inspection is complete. The report will be distributed electronically to listserv subscribers and posted on the NRC website.
The NRC's Office of Public Affairs can be reached at (301) 415-8200 or OPA.Resource@nrc.gov.
Agency description
The NRC describes itself as an expert technical agency created to protect public health, safety and security and to regulate the civilian use of nuclear materials, including enabling the deployment of nuclear power. Among its responsibilities, the agency issues licenses, conducts inspections, initiates and enforces regulations, and plans for incident response. The agency said it is collaborating with interagency partners to implement reforms outlined in executive orders and the ADVANCE Act to streamline agency activities and enhance efficiency.