The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) recently released data late last week that indicates the U.S. nuclear industry operated at record levels of reliability and safety throughout 2015.
“Sustaining such high performance over a decade or more is a true measure of excellence and a testament to the hard work and dedication of every employee working at U.S. nuclear power plants,” Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Chief Nuclear Officer Anthony Pietrangelo said. “This solid record of reliable, safe operation enables nuclear energy to provide significant energy and environmental benefits to tens of millions of Americans. It is indicative of the lasting commitment to sustained high performance by nearly 100,000 employees across the nation.”
For the past decade, U.S. nuclear facilities have scored above 93 percent on WANO’s Safety System Performance metric, and this year, they hit a record-setting 98 percent.
Similarly, the industry has attained a median capability factor of 91 percent or more for the past decade, and this year, it hit a record 92.2 percent. The Industrial Safety Accident Rate maintained 2014’s rate of 0.03 accidents per 200,000 workers. Last year also saw the highest percentage of U.S. reactors meeting their reduction goals for unplanned reactor shutdowns since 2006, with 79 percent of U.S. reactors achieving goals for limiting unplanned automatic or manual shutdowns.
