Nuclear power in the United States

Nuclear power in the United States
Country	United States
Energy	Nuclear
Capacity	95.835 GW (2024)
Capacity rank	1st
Generation	771.5 TWh (2023)
Generation rank	1st
Percent	18.2% of total electricity (2023)
Reactors operational	94
Reactors decommissioned	44

Nuclear power in the United States is provided by 94 commercial reactors with a net capacity of about 96 gigawatts. In 2023, these plants generated 771.5 terawatt-hours, accounting for 18.2% of the nation's total electricity production and making the U.S. the world's largest producer of nuclear power. The industry is regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the primary fuel is uranium, with significant activities in enrichment and fuel fabrication. While no new reactors were completed for decades after the Three Mile Island accident, recent projects like Vogtle Units 3 and 4 have renewed construction, and there is growing interest in advanced reactor designs.

History

The development of nuclear technology began with the wartime Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic weapons. Peaceful applications were promoted under Atoms for Peace in the 1950s, leading to the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, the first commercial nuclear power plant. The 1960s and 1970s saw rapid expansion, with utilities ordering many reactors, often from vendors like Westinghouse and General Electric. Growth stalled after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident and the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, which heightened public fear and regulatory scrutiny. The last order for a reactor that was completed was placed in 1978, leading to a decades-long hiatus in new construction until the 2012 approval of new units at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia.

Plant operations and capacity

The operational fleet is managed by companies such as Exelon, Duke Energy, and NextEra Energy. The largest nuclear plant is the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona, with three reactors totaling over 3.9 gigawatts. Most reactors are pressurized water reactors (PWRs) or boiling water reactors (BWRs) designed by Westinghouse, General Electric, or Combustion Engineering. Since the 1990s, power uprates and improved maintenance have increased total generation capacity. The NRC has granted license renewals extending operational life from 40 to 60 years for most units, and some are seeking subsequent renewals to 80 years.

Economics and policy

Nuclear plants have high capital costs but low fuel costs, making them competitive in markets with stable electricity prices. Federal policies have included the Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act, which limits liability, and production tax credits in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Recent legislation like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provide support for existing plants and advanced nuclear technologies. Economic challenges include competition from cheap natural gas and subsidized wind power and solar power, leading to the premature closure of some facilities. States like Illinois, New York, and New Jersey have implemented zero-emission credits to support nuclear generation.

Safety, accidents, and regulation

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulates all commercial nuclear facilities, enforcing standards for design, construction, and operation. The industry's safety record is marked by the 1979 Three Mile Island accident, a partial core meltdown that resulted in no direct fatalities but majorly impacted public confidence. Other incidents include the 2013 San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station steam generator failure. Following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, the NRC mandated safety enhancements for U.S. plants, including improved venting and backup power. The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) promotes industry-wide safety standards and peer reviews.

Fuel cycle and waste management

The front end of the fuel cycle involves mining, with operations like the Smith Ranch-Highland in-situ recovery facility in Wyoming, conversion, enrichment primarily at the Urenco USA plant in New Mexico, and fuel fabrication by Framatome or Westinghouse. The back end focuses on managing used nuclear fuel, which is currently stored on-site at reactor locations in pools or dry casks. The planned permanent repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada was halted by political opposition. The Department of Energy now pursues a consent-based siting process for interim storage, with proposed facilities like Interim Storage Partners in Texas.

Public opinion and environmental impact

Public opinion has been divided since the Three Mile Island accident, with support often tied to concerns about climate change and the desire for carbon-free baseload power. Environmental impacts are primarily from the mining and milling stages and the long-term management of radioactive waste. Nuclear power produces no direct carbon dioxide emissions during operation, and its lifecycle emissions are comparable to renewable energy sources. Advocacy groups like the Nuclear Energy Institute promote its role in decarbonization, while organizations such as the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Sierra Club have raised concerns about safety, cost, and waste.

Category:Nuclear energy in the United States Category:Nuclear power by country