EIA: U.S. Nuclear Electricity Generation at Record Level in 2007
April 9, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
The largest increase came in Tennessee, with 4 billion kWh more nuclear-provided electricity in 2007 than in 2006, an increase of 16%. National total nuclear generation was 2.4% higher than in 2006 and 2.3% higher than in the previous record year, 2004. The capacity factor (the amount of power actually generated compared with the maximum amount that could be generated) for 2007 was 91.8%, exceeding the previous record of 90.3% in 2002. The total number of operating commercial nuclear reactors in the U.S. increased from 103 to 104 in 2007 with the return to service of the Brown's Ferry 1 reactor which had been shut down in 1985. The total number of operating U.S. commercial reactors remains well below the peak level of 112 in 1990. However, nuclear power generation in 2007 was 40% above the 577 billion kWh produced in 1990, largely reflecting a major improvement in utilization rates, said EIA. More information on EIA nuclear electricity generation data by state and reactor is available on the EIA web site. Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA). |