Literature review Energy plays a significant role in driving the economy of countries all over the world. In the recent years, there have been concerns over the increased use of fossil fuels in many parts of the world (Schuman & Brent 2005). As such, debates and concerns have been raised regarding the adoption of other sources of energy following the need for sustainable development and energy security (Bock et al. 2004). Based on this assertion it has become important for countries to come up with other ways of generating power such as through the use of thermal plants. As far as capacity addition is concerned it is important to optimize electricity tariff as well as the assessment of cost of investing in power generation (Carlsson 2005; Stamford & Azapagic 2012). In the context of such investments and the need to fulfill the present objective to achieve sustainable development Bock et al. (2004) pointed out that a lot of focus ought to be given on the life cycle costing according to the proposal of the United Nations Environmental agenda of life cycle management practices as well as approaches aimed at the promotion of coherence in implementing sustainable development’s environmental dimensions. This review of literature focuses on the essentiality of life cycle costing (LCC) drivers in life cycle management of nuclear power plant. The technique of life cycle costing dates back to many years ago and it is commonly used within the energy sector (IAEA 2002). The determination of the LCC drivers in the context of a power generation plant is crucial (Carlsson 2005). This is attributable to the fact that nuclear power plants are required to long-term investment (Yao 2014). For this reason, carrying out a life cycle costing acts as a better option towards ensuring that the necessary precautions are considered at the earliest possible age of any given nuclear plant (Schuman & Brent 2005; IAEA 2002). In addition, such an approach is important as it sets out background for any management decisions in the course of the life cycle of the nuclear plant that might have various impacts in the future. The need to carry out cost and benefits analysis of nuclear plants aligns with recent concerns that have been raised regarding the need for a healthy economy (IAEA 2002). Such concerns led to the introduction of UNEP’s global environmental authority on the promotion of sustainable development. As such, there has been a need to ensure the provision of a link between the efficient use of available resource and the need to have better ways of addressing shortages of resources (Seier & Zimmermann 2014). Based on this assertion, the process of achieving sustainability in various aspects requires the adoption of social and environmental dimensions that are considerate of the life cycle. Just as Blanchard (2004) noted, the aspect of life cycle management focuses on the need to reduce socio-economic as well as environmental challenges that re related to any product and its entire life cycle. In the case of energy, researchers and scholars have emphasized the need for drivers of life cycle management to reduce the challenges impacted on the environment, social and economic aspects (Carlsson 2005). For this reason, the management of life cycle of energy ensures operationability of energy sustainability via consistent improve