In little more than a decade, the availability of nuclear power plants in the United States and most European and Pacific Rim countries has increased dramatically- from around 60% to about 90%. Such improvement is equivalent to adding approximately 30,000 MW e of new generating capacity in this period in the United States and perhaps an equal amount elsewhere. Some of this improvement has been due to longer fuel cycles-increases from 12 months to 18 or 24 months, but the major gains have been due to on-line maintenance and improved operation and planning by the utilities, accomplished...
In little more than a decade, the availability of nuclear power plants in the United States and most European and Pacific Rim countries has increased ...
