In 2021, for the second consecutive yr, US nuclear electrical energy technology declined, in accordance to the US Power Info Administration (EIA). Output from US nuclear energy vegetation totaled 778 million megawatthours in 2021—1.5% lower than the earlier yr. Nuclear’s share of US electrical energy technology throughout all sectors in 2021 was much like its common share within the earlier decade: 19%.
Six nuclear producing models with a complete capability of 4,736 megawatts (MW) have retired for the reason that finish of 2017. Three extra reactors with a mixed 3,009 MW of capability are scheduled to retire within the coming years: Michigan’s Palisades is scheduled to retire later this yr, and California’s Diablo Canyon is slated to retire one producing unit in 2024 and one in 2025.
The lack of electrical energy technology from the retirement of Indian Level Unit 3 in 2021 was partially offset by a rise within the technology of the remaining nuclear fleet at the next capability issue. Capability components measure how a lot of the time models function, and nuclear models are typically run extra of the time than virtually all different electricity-generating applied sciences.
The US nuclear energy fleet has achieved a mean annual capability issue of no less than 90% in yearly since 2012. The nuclear capability issue averaged 93% in 2021.
Though output has been rising from renewable vitality sources and from turbine vegetation utilizing pure gasoline, the US nuclear fleet continues to function at excessive and constant utilization charges, EIA mentioned.
Monetary pressures from aggressive wholesale energy markets stay the first reason for nuclear energy plant retirements. 4 models at two websites in Illinois had introduced their intention to retire however then reversed that call after the Illinois state legislature offered monetary incentives to assist the nuclear models’ continued operation.
The Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act (IIJA), which was enacted in November 2021, contains the allocation of $6 billion to stop the untimely retirement of present nuclear energy vegetation. The funding will probably be made accessible to nuclear energy vegetation that may in any other case retire and which are licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Fee as secure to proceed operations.
Two nuclear producing models now underneath development in Georgia (Vogtle Items 3 and 4) plan to return on-line by the top of 2023. Every unit is rated at 1,114 MW, they usually would be the first nuclear models to return on-line in the US since Tennessee’s Watts Bar Unit 2 got here on-line in mid-2016.
