Quad Cities Nuclear Generating Station, Nuclear power plant in Rock Island County, Illinois
The Quad Cities Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power plant in Rock Island County, Illinois, with two reactor units producing electricity for a large part of the American Midwest. The facility sits on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, which provides the water used to cool the reactors.
The first reactor came online in 1972 and the second followed in 1973, making this one of the early nuclear plants built in the Midwest. Over the following decades, both reactors underwent upgrades and had their operating licenses renewed to extend their working life.
The cooling towers of the plant are a familiar landmark along this stretch of the Mississippi, visible to anyone traveling the river by boat or driving along the nearby roads. For local communities, the plant has long been part of the everyday landscape.
The site is not open to the general public, but the plant can be seen from certain points along the river. Visitors interested in a closer look should contact the operator in advance to ask about any educational programs or tours that may be available.
The reactors at this plant are boiling water reactors, a design where water is heated directly inside the reactor core to produce steam. This type was common among the first generation of commercial nuclear plants in the US and differs from the pressurized water design used in most newer facilities.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
