Total U.S. nuclear plant availability slipped early Nov. 27 to 92.29%, from 93.23% on Nov. 22, and is holding above the 92.01% recorded on the same day a year ago.
Working to pull total production lower was the loss of Vistra Energy Corp.'s Comanche Peak 2 reactor in Texas. According to a report filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the reactor was manually tripped on. Nov. 25 "due to a loss of main feedwater."
Additionally, output at DTE Energy Co.'s Fermi 2 in Michigan was reduced to 44% as of early Nov. 27, down from 100% on Nov. 22.
On the flip side, Xcel Energy Inc.'s Prairie Island 2 in Minnesota was pegged at 100% as of early Nov. 27, up from 40% on Nov. 22. The unit was recently restarted following a refueling outage that started in mid-October.
Also, output at Duke Energy Corp.'s Oconee 2 reactor in South Carolina ramped to 70% as of early Nov. 27. The unit had been offline since the end of October for planned seasonal work.
For details of U.S. nuclear power plant operations, visit our Nuclear Availability and Status and Outage pages.
