Analyzing data from all nuclear power plants in the U.S., Entergy Corporation learned that safer plants (in terms of number of violations cited by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) performed better — and at lower operating costs, according to an article in The New York Times.

Based on three-year averages (1997-1999), the study found a correlation between the safest plants, how close a plant comes to running at full capacity, and lower operations and maintenance costs per megawatt hour.