Alert

Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Outage (forced)

The shutdown of a generating unit, transmission line, or other facility for emergency reasons, or a condition in which the equipment is unavailable as a result of an unanticipated breakdown. An outage (whether full, partial, or attributable to a failed start) is considered "forced" if it could not reasonably be delayed beyond 48 hours from identification of the problem, if there had been a strong commercial desire to do so. In particular, the following problems may result in forced outages:

Any failure of mechanical, fuel handling, or electrical equipment or controls within the generator's ownership or direct responsibility (i.e., from the point the generator is responsible for the fuel through to the electrical connection point)
A failure of a mine or fuel transport system dedicated to that power station with a resulting fuel shortage that cannot be economically managed
Inadvertent or operator error
Limitations caused by fuel quality

Forced outages do not include scheduled outages for inspection, maintenance, or refueling.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021