Other key factors affecting the business

Notes:

(1) The forced outage rate is expressed as a percentage of planned capacity available (that is, it includes a reduction for planned losses). The planned outage rate is expressed as a percentage of registered capacity. Accordingly, the aggregation of the forced outage rate and planned outage rate will not equate to the total outage rate.

The load factor and electrical output were 79.7% and 26.4TWh respectively for both years ended 31 December 2011 and 2010. We continued to demonstrate our leadership position in the coal-fired generation sector with plant availability of 88.4% for the year ended 31 December 2011, compared to 92.1% in 2010.

The forced outage and Winter forced outage rates for the year ended 31 December 2011 were 5.8% and 3.9% respectively, compared to 3.4% and 2.4% in 2010 which was a record year. 2011 forced outage rate remains consistent with our long-term target of circa 5%.

The planned outage rate achieved for the year ended 31 December 2011 was 6.2%, compared to 4.6% in 2010, with one major planned outage completed in both years. Our maintenance regime includes a major planned outage for each of our six units once every four years. Consequently, there is an irregular pattern to planned outages and associated expenditure, since in two of the four years two units will each undergo a major planned outage. Two units will undergo a major planned outage in 2012.

Health and safety

2011 was a record year for Drax in terms of our health and safety performance. Our lost time injury rate and total recordable injury rate were 0.08 and 0.10 respectively for the year ended 31 December 2011 compared to 0.13 and 0.26 respectively in 2010. Our safety record continues to be industry-leading and was delivered alongside a significant amount of project activity. We continue with our commitment to deliver a positive health and safety culture.