Exelon Nuclear Sets All-Time Generation Record in 2006
January 17 2007 - 4:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
WARRENVILLE, Ill., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Exelon Nuclear produced
131.4 billion kilowatt hours in 2006, the most electricity ever
produced by the nation's largest fleet of nuclear energy plants.
The total power produced is enough electricity to continuously
power more than 16 million typical American households. It was the
fourth consecutive year that Exelon has set a new generation record
for a U.S. fleet. The previous record was 130.4 billion
kilowatt-hours, established in 2005. Also in 2006, Exelon Nuclear:
-- Finished the year with a 93.9 percent average fleet capacity
factor -- despite 10 refueling outages -- the second highest
capacity factor ever recorded by the fleet. The record was set in
2001 at 94.4 percent (the national average in 2005 was 89.1
percent, based on the most recent data available). Capacity factor
refers to the ratio of electricity actually produced by a
generating facility compared to the amount it could theoretically
produce running at full power with no interruptions. -- Refueled 10
of its 17 reactors in an average of 23.7 days, compared to a 2005
national average of 39 days. -- Set a fleet capacity factor record
during critical summer months, when demand for power is highest, at
98.1 percent. The previous record was 97.3 percent, set a year
earlier. The reliability of Exelon's nuclear plants was especially
important in 2006 as both of Exelon's energy delivery systems set
all-time records for peak electricity usage (ComEd in Illinois --
23,605 megawatts on Aug. 1; PECO in Pennsylvania -- 8,932 megawatts
on Aug. 3). The summer measuring period is June 1 to Aug. 31. --
Recorded the best worker safety record in the company's history: 14
workplace injuries among 6,800 full-time employees in 2006. "It's
easy to get lost in statistics, but these numbers mean simply that
good nuclear operations and safety go hand in hand," Exelon Nuclear
President and Chief Nuclear Officer Chris Crane said. "These
results also demonstrate one of the most important truths of
nuclear energy today: it can be relied upon to safely deliver large
amounts of electricity all the time, including during those periods
when reliable power supply is critical." Exelon Nuclear operates 17
nuclear generating units at 10 locations in Illinois, Pennsylvania
and New Jersey, and is the nation's largest operator of commercial
nuclear energy plants. Exelon Nuclear accounts for about 17 percent
of America's nuclear generation and 2 percent of all electricity
produced in the United States. Exelon Corporation is one of the
nation's largest electric utilities with approximately 5.2 million
customers and more than $15 billion in annual revenues. The company
has one of the industry's largest portfolios of electricity
generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions
in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to
approximately 5.2 million customers in northern Illinois and
Pennsylvania and natural gas to more than 470,000 customers in
southeastern Pennsylvania. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and
trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC. DATASOURCE: Exelon Nuclear
CONTACT: Craig Nesbit, Director, Communications, Exelon,
+1-630-657-4208 Web site: http://www.exeloncorp.com/
Copyright