About 25% of U.S. power plants can start up within an hour

About 25% of U.S. power plants can start up—going from being shut down to fully operating—within one hour, based on data collected in EIA's annual survey of electric generators. Some power plants, especially those powered by coal and nuclear fuel, require more than half a day to reach full operations. The time it takes a power plant to reach full operations can affect the reliability and operations of the electric grid. More »