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Nuclear update: US output slips after Palo Verde outage

Total U.S. nuclear plant availability slipped early May 24 to 93.02%, down from 93.38% on May 23 but higher than the 85.22% reported on the same day in 2017.

Pulling down total output was the loss of Pinnacle West Capital Corp.'s Palo Verde 2 in Arizona. According to a filing with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the unit was automatically tripped May 23 from 100% power for low departure from nucleate boiling ratio. The cause is under investigation.

In addition, NextEra Energy Inc.'s Point Beach 1 in Wisconsin saw output fall from 100% on May 23 to 71% early May 24.

Offsetting the outage and curtailment was increased output at two of Exelon Corp.'s nuclear units. The James A. FitzPatrick plant in New York returned to full power early May 24 after being cut to 80% on May 23, and the Clinton Power Station in Illinois saw output rise from 23% on May 23 to 85% early May 24.

Public Service Enterprise Group Inc.'s Hope Creek 1 in New Jersey was pegged at 98% early May 24, climbing from 85% on May 23. Energy Northwest's Columbia Generating Station in Washington was warming up at 10% early May 24 after being shut May 19 for undisclosed reasons.

Including Palo Verde 2, a total of four nuclear power plants remain offline.

For details of U.S. nuclear power plant operations, visit our Nuclear Availability and Status and Outage pages.