Dive Summary:

• The Chicago-based Exelon might invest $3 billion in solar farms, distributed generation investments, and natural gas exploration to off-set slow economic growth, execs said in an earnings conference call Wednesday.
• In addition, Exelon will fork over $13.8 billion to upgrade power grids in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and increase long-term investments in the capacity of its nuclear plants.
• Exelon, the largest nuclear operator in the U.S., said new investments in gas will spur positive returns and increase the company’s industry IQ.

From the article:
“Exelon, the largest U.S. utility owner by sales, has been squeezed by rising costs for its nuclear plants and power demand that is little changed or declining on slow economic growth and energy efficiency measures. The Chicago-based company expects load growth to remain “well under 1 percent” through 2015, Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Thayer said on an earnings conference call today.”