The fleet has maintained a 90% median capacity factor for 20 years and expectations for advanced nuclear predict future capacity factors of nearly 95%.
The American Nuclear Society, which has tracked and analysed the capacity factors of US commercial reactors since the early 1980s, said the fleet has maintained a median capacity factor near 90% for 20 years.
ANS said more than half of the fleet – 52 units – had capacity factors in 2018-2020 that were better than those posted in 2015-2017.
At the top of that list with a capacity factor that improved by more than 15%, was Prairie Island-2. Indian Point-3, which was permanently shut down in April, was second. Coming in third was Comanche Peak-2, one of the nuclear reactors that helped Texans weather a historic winter storm in February 2021.
Indian Point-2 and -3 generated a combined total of more than 564.5 TWh, and in recent years produced 12% of New York State’s electricity. “Indian Point’s closure after years of strong performance is a reminder that reliability alone will take a plant only so far,” ANS said. “It takes corporate or political will, and sometimes both, to ensure resilience.”
