Exelon is backing away from threats to pull the plug on its nuclear plants in Byron and the Quad Cities .
Company officials say it will wait a year or longer before deciding the fate of those nukes or others in its Illinois fleet of eleven reactors.
CEO Chris Crane, though, repeated his claim that policy reforms are needed to keep nuclear energy competitive by recognizing it as a clean form of energy.
The facility in Byron is obligated to operate through May of 2019.
Exelon will operate its Quad Cities nuclear power plant through at least May of 2018.