YAEC's view of the cause and control of escalating nuclear plant O and M costs

This paper provides insights on this issue in terms of both the genesis and effective long-term control of O and M costs. Yankee Atomic Electric Company's (YAEC's) insights stem not only from an analysis of certain industry data, but also from its unique position within the nuclear industry in terms of its age, plant size, and organization. First, at 30 yr of age, the YAEC plant has endured the full swing of the regulatory/institutional pendulum and the associated impact on O and M costs. Second, with a size of only 185 MW(electric), YAEC's imperative since start-up has been the strict control of O and M costs while still achieving operational excellence. Finally, YAEC is an organization strictly focused on nuclear power operations and has not been distracted by fossil plant operations or other utility requirements like distribution, retail sales, etc., that may have plagued other plant operators