About one-third of U.S. nuclear power plants will close this fall for refueling, the most in nine years, as operators take advantage of a drop in electricity demand to carry out maintenance.
Thirty of the nation's 99 reactors, representing 31 percent of the fleet's power supply, are expected to shut down through November, according to Michael Rennhack, who heads up NukeWorker.com. That matches the record for autumn set in 2006, data from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shows.
Lower nuclear output is helping drive up wholesale power prices in the largest U.S. grid and may boost reliance on natural gas-fired generators. Reactors accounted for 19 percent of electricity generation in June, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. They typically go offline every 18 to 24 months in the spring or the fall when moderate temperatures ease demand for electricity for cooling or heating.