Business Week's No. 22 - Exelon

No. 22: Exelon
Industry: Utilities
Sales: $18.7 billion
Net Income: $2.7 billion

Chicago-based Exelon (EXC) operates two utilities—one in its hometown and another in Philadelphia—and runs the nation's largest fleet of nuclear plants. Thanks to its 17 reactors, Exelon's profit margins fattened nicely in the past year. Its nuclear fuel costs stayed relatively flat, while coal prices doubled, driving up electricity prices. Exelon's nukes give it another edge, too. Should the U.S. put a price on carbon, as is expected, emission-free reactors won't incur big added costs, unlike coal-burning plants. No surprise then that CEO John Rowe is a gung-ho advocate for carbon limits and plans to build new nuke plants.