Byron Generating Station

About the Program
Constellation’s Byron Generating Station is a nuclear power plant located on farmland in Ogle County, Illinois, two miles east of the Rock River. There are 100 acres of grassland habitat on the property, which employees and team members enhance for native wildlife. The mission statement of the Byron Conservation Club on site is to restore Byron Station land into natural habitat and to promote environmental projects designed to manage and monitor the biome. The Conservation Club at Byron is poised to continue its restoration activities by taking on additional land restoration work annually. Team members manage habitat on-site for native wildlife, specifically avian and pollinator species. Additionally, the site controls invasive species using industry best practice for grassland habitat.

Practices and Impacts

• Since 2015, 100 acres of habitat are managed for native wildlife. Team members control invasive species using burning, mowing and manual mechanical techniques to maintain the health of the habitat.
• Team members erected 56 bluebird boxes across1,300 acres of property to provide safe nesting habitat for native bluebirds and other cavity-nesting species. All boxes are cleaned and monitored annually. In 2022, local Boy Scout troops assembled to paint and install additional boxes on site to replace any damaged boxes. Boxes are repaired as needed. In 2023, 26 boxes contained nests with 16 eggs and five hatchlings.
• Two acres of a pollinator habitat parcel was installed on-site, and team members conducted a milkweed planting to provide shelter, nectar and foraging opportunities for native pollinator species, specifically monarchs. The team removes invasive species from the habitat annually, and the parcel is burned every three years to promote native species growth.
• Six wood duck boxes were erected along Rock River to provide a safe habitat for native wood ducks. Team members inspect boxes annually and make repairs as needed.