US Nuclear Power Plants Generate Record Electricity Output In 2018 - Energy Dept.

Sumaira FH Published March 21, 2019 | 07:31 PM

US nuclear power plants produced a record amount of electricity in 2018, despite the closure of several plants since 2010, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a report on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st March, 2019) US nuclear power plants produced a record amount of electricity in 2018, despite the closure of several plants since 2010, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a report on Thursday.

"Electricity generation from US nuclear power plants totaled 807.1 million megawatthours (MWh) in 2018, slightly more than the previous peak of 807.

0 million MWh in 2010, based on preliminary annual data," the report said.

The EIA attributed the output surge to added capacity "uprates" and shorter maintenance cycles.

Uprate, or power uprate, is an industry term for increases in the licensed power level of a commercial nuclear power plant.

Despite the 2018 increase, EIA expects that US nuclear power output will decline in the near future, the report said.