Durbin, Kirk, to hold hearing on nuclear safety in Illinois: State has most reactors in the U.S.

WASHINGTON–In the wake of the Japan nuclear disaster, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) will chair a hearing on Friday in Chicago on the safety of Illinois nuclear power plants.

Illinois has 11 reactors operating at 11 sites operated by Exleon Corp. Last week, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, in Washington, called for Exelon to pay more to bolster state inspections of their reactors.

Testifying at the Dirksen Federal Building session will be:

* Charles Pardee, Chief Operating Officer, Exelon Generation;

* Mark T. Peters, Deputy Laboratory Director for Programs, Argonne National Laboratory;

* Cynthia D. Pederson, Deputy Regional Administration, Region III, Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and

* Joseph Klinger, Assistant Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.