Skip to content
nuclear•chain

Prairie Island nuclear power plant 1

Operating United States
Gross capacity
566MW

Prairie Island nuclear power plant 1 is a pressurised water reactor unit at Prairie Island nuclear power plant in United States rated at 566 MW gross. It is operating. Commercial operation began 16 Dec 1973.

Specification
Reactor type Pressurised water reactor (PWR)
ModelWH 2LP (DRYAMB)
Size classLarge
CoolantLight water
ModeratorLight water
Gross capacity566MW
Net capacity (reference)522MW
Net capacity (design)530MW
Thermal output1,677MWt
Typical enrichment3–5% U-235
Ownership & location
SitePrairie Island nuclear power plant
Unit1
CountryUnited States
OwnerXcel Energy Inc100%
OperatorNorthern States Power
Coordinates 44.6220, -92.6333
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Uranium dioxide pellets in zirconium-alloy cladding
Enrichment
3–5% U-235
Who makes this assembly
Upstream

Enriched fuel means this unit sits downstream of five conversion plants and four enrichment operators holding 88% of world capacity between the top three.

RosatomUrencoCNNCOrano
Conversion
CamecoCNNCConverDynOranoRosatom
Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units — utilities do not publish fuel contracts. See the fuel chain.

Timeline

  1. 25 Jun 1968Construction start
  2. 1 Dec 1973First criticality
  3. 4 Dec 1973Grid connection
  4. 16 Dec 1973Commercial operation

Other units at Prairie Island nuclear power plant

UnitStatusGross MW
Prairie Island nuclear power plant 2 Operating 560

Other WH 2LP (DRYAMB) units

6 units worldwide share this model designation.

UnitCountryStatusGross MW
Point Beach nuclear power plant 1 United States Operating 640
Point Beach nuclear power plant 2 United States Operating 640
Prairie Island nuclear power plant 2 United States Operating 560
Robert Emmett Ginna nuclear power plant United States Operating 608
Kewaunee nuclear power plant United States Retired 595

Sources