An Analysis of Nuclear Plant Operating Costs: A 1991 Update

Technical Report · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5700560· OSTI ID:5700560

This report updates a 1988 Energy Information Administration (EIA) report entitled An Analysis of Nuclear Power Plant Operating Costs (DOE/EIA-0511), which examined trends in nonfuel operating costs at the Nation's nuclear power plants. Nonfuel operating costs are comprised of operating and maintenance (O&M) costs and capital expenditures incurred after a plant begins operating. Capital expenditures are typically called "capital additions" because the costs are added to the utility's rate base and recovered as a depreciation expense over several years, the number of years being regulated by State Public Utility Commissions. These costs consist of large maintenance expenditures needed to keep a plant operational as well as those needed to make plant modifications mandated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or implemented at the utility's discretion. The 1988 report found that from 1974 through 1984, the last year for which data were available, nuclear power plant nonfuel operating costs escalated by 14 percent annually in real terms. These costs rose from $$\$$$$26 per kilowatt (1982 dollars) of installed capacity in 1974, to $$\$$$$95 per kilowatt 10 years later. The objective of the present study was to determine whether trends in nonfuel operating costs have changed since 1984, if there was any change in the underlying factors influencing these costs, and if so, how these changes affect the basic conclusions of the 1988 report. As discussed in greater detail below, the general trends are encouraging: Total nonfuel operating costs peaked in 1984 and have been lower since that time; O&M costs have been rising, but at a much lower rate than seen from 1974 through 1984; capital additions costs have actually been declining.

• Research Organization: US Department of Energy (USDOE), Washington DC (United States). Energy Information Administration, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Energy Information Administration (EIA)
• OSTI ID: 5700560
• Report Number(s): DOE/EIA--0547; ON: DE91013505
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210800 -- Nuclear Power Plants-- Economics
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
CAPITALIZED COST
COST
ECONOMICS
INDUSTRY
MAINTENANCE
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
OPERATING COST
OPERATION
POWER PLANTS
REGULATIONS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS