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Released September 25, 2023 | SUGAR LAND
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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Fall is a time for cooler temperatures, pumpkin spice lattes, and planned nuclear plant refueling and maintenance outages.
Indeed, Industrial Info is tracking 18 nuclear refueling and maintenance outage events in the U.S., totaling $379.5 million, that have been scheduled to kick off from September 1 through the end of December. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for a list of detailed project reports.
Nuclear power reactors typically are refueled every 18 to 24 months, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Although the refueling process can be completed in as few as 10 days, outage periods usually are longer because of noncritical maintenance that is completed concurrently with refueling to minimize downtime over the course of the year. Nuclear plant operators generally schedule refueling outages for the fall and spring months, sometimes referred to as "shoulder months," when the demand for electricity is usually lowest because demand for heating and cooling is lower.
According to Power Magazine, fall outages peak in late October. In recent years, the average refueling outage duration has been about 32 days.
During the refueling outages, workers replace about one-third of the used fuel assemblies with new ones, according to Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) (Charlotte, North Carolina).
"These focused outages make nuclear plants even more efficient because they offer workers the opportunity to perform maintenance that would be more difficult if the plant was online," according to Duke. "By conducting inspections and performing maintenance at the same time as refueling, workers can eliminate the need to power down the plant at other times to perform the same work. This allows nuclear plants to produce electricity continuously for months and even years at a time--a feature no other electricity source provides."
Refueling outage management teams begin preparing for an outage about three years in advance of the actual outage start date, Duke added.
Spring refueling and maintenance outages helped Constellation Energy Corporation's (NASDAQ:CEG) (Baltimore, Maryland) nuclear fleet run nearly 100% of the time during this past summer, the hottest in Earth's recorded history, according to a company press release. Constellation's 21 reactors from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast operated at 99.4% capacity during the months of June, July and August, "all without adding any harmful emissions to the environment."
The fall refueling and maintenance outages being tracked by Industrial Info range in value from $17.5 million to $26 million.
In Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey, preparation is underway for an outage beginning in October at Public Service Enterprise Group's (NYSE:PEG) (Newark, New Jersey) Salem Nuclear Power Station. The 1,175-megawatt Nuclear Unit 01 will undergo 38 days of work. Subscribers can click here for the project report.
Dominion Energy Incorporated (NYSE:D) (Richmond, Virginia), meanwhile, is performing a 36-day outage for the 979-MW Nuclear Unit 02 at its North Anna Nuclear Power Station in Mineral, Virginia. Click here to learn more about the project.
And at the McGuire Nuclear Power Station in Huntersville, North Caroline, Duke Energy is conducting a 56-day outage for its 1,158-MW Nuclear Unit 01. Duke is working with BHI Energy on the project, which is expected to conclude in November. For more information, click here.
Subscribers can click here for all project reports mentioned in this article and click here for the related plant profiles.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
Indeed, Industrial Info is tracking 18 nuclear refueling and maintenance outage events in the U.S., totaling $379.5 million, that have been scheduled to kick off from September 1 through the end of December. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for a list of detailed project reports.
Nuclear power reactors typically are refueled every 18 to 24 months, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Although the refueling process can be completed in as few as 10 days, outage periods usually are longer because of noncritical maintenance that is completed concurrently with refueling to minimize downtime over the course of the year. Nuclear plant operators generally schedule refueling outages for the fall and spring months, sometimes referred to as "shoulder months," when the demand for electricity is usually lowest because demand for heating and cooling is lower.
According to Power Magazine, fall outages peak in late October. In recent years, the average refueling outage duration has been about 32 days.
During the refueling outages, workers replace about one-third of the used fuel assemblies with new ones, according to Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) (Charlotte, North Carolina).
"These focused outages make nuclear plants even more efficient because they offer workers the opportunity to perform maintenance that would be more difficult if the plant was online," according to Duke. "By conducting inspections and performing maintenance at the same time as refueling, workers can eliminate the need to power down the plant at other times to perform the same work. This allows nuclear plants to produce electricity continuously for months and even years at a time--a feature no other electricity source provides."
Refueling outage management teams begin preparing for an outage about three years in advance of the actual outage start date, Duke added.
Spring refueling and maintenance outages helped Constellation Energy Corporation's (NASDAQ:CEG) (Baltimore, Maryland) nuclear fleet run nearly 100% of the time during this past summer, the hottest in Earth's recorded history, according to a company press release. Constellation's 21 reactors from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast operated at 99.4% capacity during the months of June, July and August, "all without adding any harmful emissions to the environment."
The fall refueling and maintenance outages being tracked by Industrial Info range in value from $17.5 million to $26 million.
In Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey, preparation is underway for an outage beginning in October at Public Service Enterprise Group's (NYSE:PEG) (Newark, New Jersey) Salem Nuclear Power Station. The 1,175-megawatt Nuclear Unit 01 will undergo 38 days of work. Subscribers can click here for the project report.
Dominion Energy Incorporated (NYSE:D) (Richmond, Virginia), meanwhile, is performing a 36-day outage for the 979-MW Nuclear Unit 02 at its North Anna Nuclear Power Station in Mineral, Virginia. Click here to learn more about the project.
And at the McGuire Nuclear Power Station in Huntersville, North Caroline, Duke Energy is conducting a 56-day outage for its 1,158-MW Nuclear Unit 01. Duke is working with BHI Energy on the project, which is expected to conclude in November. For more information, click here.
Subscribers can click here for all project reports mentioned in this article and click here for the related plant profiles.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
