Recent growth in electricity demand, expanding carbon-free energy goals, and renewed concerns about energy security are driving utilities to reconsider nuclear power plants that have been permanently shut down or are approaching retirement. EPRI examines the technical, regulatory, and business factors that influence whether these facilities can return to service and what steps can preserve that opportunity. The paper, Restarting Nuclear Power Plants: Preserving and Restoring Value, draws on EPRI’s Plant Restart Guideline: Preserving and Restoring Nuclear Power Facilities and highlights lessons from industry experience in the United States and internationally.
A New Perspective on Nuclear Plant Shutdowns
Historically, a permanent shutdown was generally viewed as the first step toward license termination and decommissioning. Today, however, rising electricity demand—driven in part by data centers and electrification—combined with policy support for carbon-free generation, has changed that perspective. Plants that ceased operations for economic reasons rather than technical limitations may represent stranded but recoverable assets. Research emphasizes that restart viability is highly dependent on decisions made before and during shutdown, with early actions often determining whether a future restart remains practical.
A central theme is that restart decisions should be guided by a structured Business Case Analysis (BCA). Rather than a one-time assessment, the BCA is intended to be a living framework that evolves with changing market conditions, policy incentives, and plant conditions. Scenarios involving preservation during an extended shutdown were evaluated, as were restart efforts initiated after decommissioning work had begun. While restarting following decommissioning generally requires significantly greater capital investment, both approaches may be justified under favorable conditions.
Preservation Is Critical to Future Restart Options
One of the most significant findings is the distinction between preservation-focused shutdown strategies and traditional decommissioning. Preservation measures, including controlled wet or dry layup, chemistry management, workforce retention, and records preservation, maintain a clearer path to restart but require ongoing investment and operational discipline. Traditional decommissioning, while often minimizing short-term costs, can reduce restart feasibility by allowing equipment degradation, dismantling systems, and the loss of institutional knowledge. Research suggests that hybrid approaches, which preserve high-value components while planning to replace lower-value systems, may offer an effective balance between flexibility and cost control.
The condition of key plant components often has a greater impact on restart viability than the overall condition of the facility. Steam generators, turbines, large power transformers, and reactor pressure boundary components are among the most critical assets influencing both cost and schedule risk. Effective preservation practices, particularly chemistry control for wetted systems, can significantly slow aging mechanisms and help maintain equipment integrity. Conversely, inadequate preservation can lead to costly discoveries late in the restart process. The report also highlights the importance of preserving plant records, which can provide valuable evidence of component condition and reduce the need for extensive inspections.
Regulatory and Workforce Challenges
Regulatory strategy is another major consideration. There is no statutory prohibition on restarting a permanently shutdown nuclear power plant in the United States. However, the complexity of the process increases considerably if decommissioning activities have progressed without regard for future restart possibilities. Recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission guidance provides a structured pathway for restoring licenses at plants that have entered decommissioning. Recent U.S. experience suggests that maintaining or restoring an existing licensing basis can reduce uncertainty compared with pursuing an entirely new plant licensing basis.
Beyond equipment and infrastructure, human capital is a critical factor in the success of restarts. Retaining or rehiring experienced operators, engineers, and technical personnel can significantly reduce project risk and duration. Operator licensing and training programs are frequently on the critical path for restart efforts, making workforce planning essential. Just as importantly, safety culture, configuration knowledge, and informal expertise can be difficult to reconstruct once lost.
Lessons Learned and Strategic Implications
Industry case studies demonstrate that restarting a decommissioning plant is possible, though often complex and capital-intensive. Safe storage strategies can limit irreversible dismantling and preserve future options. Long-term wet layup combined with disciplined chemistry control has been shown to maintain the integrity of nuclear steam supply systems for more than a decade. At the same time, insufficient early attention to staffing, supply chain readiness, and documentation can create significant obstacles during restart planning and execution.
Utilities and policymakers are encouraged to view shutdown decisions not simply as end-of-life choices, but as decisions about preserving future options. EPRI’s research indicates that relatively modest investments made early in the shutdown process can protect strategic flexibility that may be worth billions of dollars under future market conditions. For utilities, this means incorporating restart considerations into decommissioning and asset management planning. For policymakers, regulatory clarity, targeted incentives, and early engagement may influence the long-term value of existing nuclear assets.
Findings reflect a changing industry perspective on retired nuclear facilities. Restart is no longer viewed as merely a theoretical possibility, and preservation efforts can have a decisive influence on future outcomes. Disciplined technical, regulatory, and organizational planning can help transform shutdown nuclear plants from potential liabilities into strategic assets capable of supporting future electricity needs.
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