Entergy Increases U.S. Nuclear Output With Reactor Boosts

U.S. nuclear generation gained as Entergy Corp. (ETR) increased capacity at two plants in the Northeast.

Production rose 0.1 percent nationwide to 92,515 megawatts, or 91 percent of capacity, rebounding from yesterday’s 10-day low, according to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission data compiled by Bloomberg. Output was down 1.6 percent from a year ago with eight of 104 plants offline.

Output at the 651-megawatt Vermont Yankee 1 reactor advanced to 97 percent from 84 percent yesterday. The unit, operated by Entergy about five miles (eight kilometers) south Brattleboro, Vermont, generated 631 megawatts early today.

Entergy boosted production at its 685-megawatt Pilgrim 1 reactor, 38 miles southeast of Boston, to 1 percent. A pump trip shut the reactor two days ago.

Reactor maintenance shutdowns, usually undertaken in the U.S. spring or fall when energy use is lowest, may increase consumption of natural gas and coal to generate electricity. The

average refueling down time was 43 days in 2011, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kenneth Christensen in New York at kchristense9@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Dan Stets at dstets@bloomberg.net