US NUCLEAR PLANTS

POST RECORD HIGH EFFICIENCY IN 2014

   As power producers struggle with decisions to keep their nuclear generating plants operating, the U.S. nuclear energy fleet generated electricity at a record high level of efficiency last year, demonstrating nuclear energy’s value to the reliability and stability of the electric grid and to the nation’s economy.

   One hundred nuclear power plants, operating in 31 states, posted an estimated average capacity factor of 91.9 percent in 2014, based on preliminary data compiled by the Nuclear Energy Institute, surpassing the industry’s 2007 record.

“The 2014 numbers show unequivocally how important well-performing nuclear energy is to America’s energy security, the economy and our quality of life,” NEI President and Chief Executive Officer Marvin Fertel said.  “U.S. nuclear power plants continue to operate at high levels of safety while generating affordable electricity that our society and our economy rely on.”

   Electricity generated from nuclear energy facilities last year was the sixth-highest ever, at an estimated 798.4 billion kilowatt-hours.  The industry’s record high electricity generation was in 2010, when the 104 reactors then operating produced 806.9 billion kWh of electricity while posting an industry average capacity factor of 90.9 percent.

   For the past two decades, U.S. nuclear power plants have annually produced about one-fifth of U.S. electricity supplies, even as total electricity demand has increased significantly.  Because of their sector-leading capacity factors they have done so even though nuclear power plants constitute only about 10% of U.S. installed electric generating capacity.

   Nuclear energy especially demonstrates its value during periods of extreme weather.  At the height of the arctic blast that chilled the eastern United States on Jan. 8, nuclear power plants met significant portions of the electric demand load in their respective markets at levels well above their installed generating capacity.  In the densely populated market encompassing the mid-Atlantic region and large portions of the Midwest served by grid operator PJM, the region’s 33 nuclear power plants provided about 27 percent of the region’s early afternoon electricity demand, even though they constitute only about 19 percent of the region’s installed electric generating capacity.  Similar performance was seen in other regions—the New York region’s six nuclear plants and the New England area’s four plants each provided a quarter of the demand.