TABLE 4
Generating Availability Data
North American Electric Reliability Council (Average data for 1990-1994)

Type

Production

% of System

Capability

% of System

Capability Utilization Rate (includes idle time)

Percent of Time Facilities are Idle

Generator Capacity Utilization Rate when Running

Reserve Power

Percent Increase in Production

Full Capability Utilization

Capacity Utilization at Full Capability Utilization

System

2,682

 

4,196

 

63.9%

53.4%

87.3%

797

29.7%

82.9%

70.7%

Steam Fossil Fuel

1,822

68.0%

2,978

71.0%

61.2%

29.0%

84.2%

684

37.5%

84.2%

71.6%

Nuclear

651

24.3%

698

16.6%

93.3%

0.0%

93.3%

0

0.0%

93.3%

69.8%

Hydro

145

5.4%

270

6.4%

53.8%

34.2%

80.7%

0

0.0%

53.8%

48.9%

Gas Turbine

3

0.1%

69

1.6%

4.8%

97.8%

84.2%

54

1653.8%

84.2%

76.0%

Jet

1

0.0%

34

0.8%

3.6%

98.3%

72.4%

23

1937.6%

72.4%

66.1%

Pumped Storage

11

0.4%

44

1.1%

23.8%

58.4%

54.6%

0

0.0%

23.8%

13.4%

Multi-Turbine

27

1.0%

55

1.3%

48.3%

45.0%

82.8%

19

71.4%

82.8%

72.9%

Combined Cycle

13

0.5%

36

0.9%

37.0%

52.8%

75.5%

14

104.3%

75.5%

66.5%

Geothermal

8

0.3%

11

0.3%

70.9%

7.2%

74.9%

0

5.6%

74.9%

68.7%

Note: Production, Capability, and Reserve Power in billions of kilowatthours. Capabiility deducts expected maintenance hours from total annual hours of potential operation.

Capacity is based on total annual hours.