TABLE 18. CAUSES OF OUTAGES, 1971 TO 2003, FOR NON-PROTOTYPE REACTORS


Outage Cause

Planned Full Outages

Unplanned Full Outages

Energy Lost

Time Lost

Energy Lost

Time Lost

GW(e).h

%

Hours

%

GW(e).h

%

Hours

%

Plant equipment failure

14666

0.2

21029

0.2

2889242

71.1

3907350

73.6

Refuelling without a maintenance

7740

0.1

11213

0.1

84800

2.1

114279

2.2

Inspection, maintenance or repair combined with refuelling

7673051

80.2

9540155

75.6

65968

1.6

80893

1.5

Inspection, maintenance or repair without refuelling

1526582

16.0

2559605

20.3

19264

0.5

21061

0.4

Testing of plant systems or components

71557

0.7

89478

0.7

27679

0.7

40939

0.8

Major back-fitting, refurbishment or upgrading activities with refuelling

27600

0.3

40252

0.3

394

0.0

567

0.0

Nuclear regulatory requirements

72405

0.8

159138

1.3

293740

7.2

346157

6.5

Grid failure or grid unavailability

26

0.0

41

0.0

38011

0.9

79595

1.5

Load-following
(frequency control, reserve shutdown due to reduced energy demand)

171967

1.8

189695

1.5

598166

14.7

663460

12.5

Human factor related

181

0.0

176

0.0

12669

0.3

15885

0.3

Governmental requirements or court decisions

 

 

 

 

207

0.0

275

0.0

Environmental conditions
(flood, storm, lightning, lack of cooling water , cooling water temperature limits etc.)

 

 

 

 

4859

0.1

4782

0.1

Fire

 

 

 

 

1480

0.0

1702

0.0

External restrictions on supply and services.

 

 

 

 

475

0.0

731

0.0

Fuel management limitation
(including high flux tilt, stretch out or coast-down operation)

545

0.0

598

0.0

136

0.0

107

0.0

Others

131

0.0

141

0.0

26813

0.7

32411

0.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

9566451

100.0

12611521

100.0

4063903

100.0

5310194

100.0

Note: 2003 is the latest year for which outage information is currently available to the IAEA.

- Only reactors which have achieved full commercial operation in or before 2003 are considered.


SUMMARY TABLES