Exelon Generation donates $150,000 to preserve land

Exelon Generation is donating $150,000 toward the development of the Arroyo Trails nature park in Channahon, Illinois, where families, children, school and community groups will be able to experience the wonders of nature and the area's natural environment.

Susan Landahl, Exelon Generation senior vice president is presenting the donation to the People for Channahon Parks Foundation today at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Arroyo Trails project. Exelon Generation regional headquarters is in Warrenville.

"Exelon Generation is proud to support the Arroyo Trails project because it will not only preserve and protect these natural lands, rivers and watersheds, but also provide year-round educational opportunities for kids and adults to learn about science, nature and the environment," Landahl said.

The Arroyo Trails project will include outdoor play structures, an outdoor amphitheater for educational programs and organizational gatherings, walking trails, a ravine overlook, informational and educational kiosks, and more. The park will be managed and maintained by the Channahon Park District, and development planning is being coordinated with the People for Channahon Parks Foundation.

"This is the biggest campaign the foundation has run to develop the Arroyo Trails nature park, and Exelon's gift has made a major impact on the development of the project," said Mike Rittof, People for Channahon Parks Foundation board president.

Three of Exelon Generation's six Illinois nuclear facilities - Braidwood, Dresden and LaSalle stations - are located near the Arroyo Trails nature park, and more than 2,000 Exelon Generation employees live and work in the area. Exelon Generation is committed to being a good neighbor, operating its plants safely and responsibly, and supporting its local communities through charitable contributions for community organizations and initiatives, environmental programs that improve the quality of the environment, educational programs that teach and promote the benefits of nuclear energy, and civic engagement activities that build trust and goodwill.

Exelon Generation, a subsidiary of Exelon Corp., is one of the largest clean energy producers in the U.S., with a generating capacity of more than 35,500 megawatts.