Exelon Nuclear's La Salle County Generating Station donated more than 1,100 pounds of stainless steel welding rod to the welding technology program at Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby.

La Salle Station, which stocks large quantities of welding material at the site for various work activities, has changed the type of weld rod material it uses. The cost of 1,100 pounds of stainless steel welding material is approximately $25,000.

"Our welding department will use the material to teach stainless steel welding to the more than 100 students in our program," said Paul Leadingham, the IVCC welding program coordinator. "We appreciate Exelon's generous donation because the material comes at a great savings to our school."

"We wanted our unused welding material to go to a worthy cause, and IVCC expressed that it would greatly benefit their welding technology program," said Dave Wozniak, La Salle Station site vice president.

"We're pleased that the donation will help give students hands-on experience and prepare them for working in a technical field once they have graduated from IVCC."