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Mapped: Nuclear Reactors in the U.S.
The United States is the world’s largest producer of nuclear power, representing more than 30% of the world’s nuclear power generation.
America has 92 reactors in operation, providing about 20% of the country’s electricity.
The above infographic uses data from the International Atomic Energy Agency to showcase every single nuclear reactor in America.
Nuclear Development
Nuclear power in the U.S. dates back to the 1950s.
George Westinghouse produced the first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 in Shippingport, Pennsylvania. The technology is used in approximately half of the 450 nuclear power reactors worldwide.
Today, over 30 different power companies across 30 states operate nuclear facilities in the U.S., and most nuclear power reactors are located east of the Mississippi River.
Illinois has more reactors than any state, with 11 reactors and the largest total nuclear electricity generation capacity at about 11,582 megawatts (MW). Meanwhile, the largest reactor is at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Mississippi, with a capacity of about 1,500 MW.
Most American reactors in operation were built between 1967 and 1990. Until 2013 there had been no new constructions started since 1977, according to the World Nuclear Association.
Nuclear power reactors in America receive 40-year operating licenses from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), with companies able to apply for 20-year extensions. The oldest operating reactor, Nine Mile Point Unit 1 in New York, began commercial operation in December 1969. The newest reactor to enter service, Watts Bar Unit 2, came online in 2016.
The Future of Nuclear Power in the U.S.
U.S. nuclear power’s capacity peaked in 2012 at about 102,000 MW, with 104 operating nuclear reactors operating.
Since nuclear plants generate nearly 20% of U.S. electricity and about half of the country’s carbon‐free electricity, the recent push from the Biden administration to reduce fossil fuels and increase clean energy will require significant new nuclear capacity.
Today, there are two new reactors under construction (Vogtle 3 and 4) in Georgia, expected to come online before 2023.
Furthermore, some of the Inflation Reduction Act provisions include incentives for the nuclear industry. Starting in 2024, for example, utilities will be able to get a credit of $15 per megawatt-hour for electricity produced by existing nuclear plants. Nuclear infrastructure projects could also be eligible for up to $250 billion worth of loans to update, repurpose, and revitalize energy infrastructure that has stopped working.
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