DOE COMMITS $4.2 BILLION TO VISTRA NUCLEAR

The U.S. Department of Energy issued a conditional loan commitment of up to $4.2 billion to Vistra ($VST) to upgrade nuclear plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The financing preserves nearly 4 gigawatts of existing baseload power while adding only 433 megawatts of new capacity, and extends plant operating licenses by 20 years. Vistra shares rose on the announcement, which also leaves open an option to finance future upgrades at its Comanche Peak plant in Texas.