The average capacity factor is a measure used in nuclear power plants to determine how efficiently they are operating. It takes into account both the availability and output of the plant, providing an overall indicator of its performance.
The term “capacity” refers to the maximum amount of electricity that can be generated by a power plant if it were running at full capacity for an entire year. The “factor” in this phrase means the ratio or percentage of actual energy produced compared to what could have been produced had the plant run continuously at its maximum output.
The average capacity factor is calculated by dividing the total amount of electricity generated over a period (usually a year) by the theoretical maximum that would be produced if it were running constantly at full power for that same time frame. The result is then multiplied by 100 to get the percentage value, which represents how much energy was actually produced compared to what could have been produced had there been no interruptions in operation.
A high average capacity factor indicates that a nuclear plant is operating efficiently and at near full capacity for most of its operational time while a low one suggests it has not been running smoothly or frequently shut down due to maintenance, repairs or other reasons.