Clean Energy
Mapped: Nuclear Reactors in the U.S.
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Mapped: Nuclear Reactors in the U.S.
This was originally posted on June 8, 2022, on Elements.
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.
Clean Energy
Which U.S. Utilities Are Investing in Clean Energy the Most?
In this graphic, we show which U.S investor-owned utilities have allocated the most capital expenditure toward clean energy.
Which U.S. Utilities Are Investing in Clean Energy the Most?
Decarbonizing the power sector will require significant investments in clean energy as utilities replace existing fossil fuel infrastructure.
In this graphic, we show which U.S investor-owned utilities (IOUs) have allocated the most capital expenditure (CAPEX) toward carbon-free sources of electricity.
The data comes from the latest edition of the Annual Utility Decarbonization Index, created in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, which quantifies and compares the status of decarbonization among the largest U.S. IOUs.
The Carbon-Free Investment Ranking
The Utility Decarbonization Index ranks companies on six metrics based on the latest available data, specifically those that pertain to their fuel mix, carbon emissions, and decarbonization goals.
The sixth and final metric measures the share of each utility’s planned CAPEX for carbon-free electricity generation, such as nuclear power and renewables.
Here are the top scorers out of the 47 IOUs included in the report.
| Rank | Company | Share of Planned Generation CAPEX Allocated To Nuclear & Renewables |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | NextEra Energy | 100% |
| #2 | Public Service Enterprise Group | 100% |
| #3 | Avangrid | 100% |
| #4 | Pacific Gas and Electric* | 96% |
| #5 | Alliant Energy | 94% |
| #6 | National Grid | 93% |
| #7 | AES Corporation | 92% |
| #8 | Constellation Energy | 90% |
| #9 | WEC Energy | 90% |
| #10 | Emera | 86% |
| #11 | Dominion Energy* | 84% |
| #12 | American Electric Power | 83% |
| #13 | TransAlta | 81% |
| #14 | MGE Energy | 78% |
| #15 | Duke Energy | 68% |
| #16 | Evergy | 68% |
| #17 | DTE Energy Company | 67% |
| #18 | Fortis Inc. | 67% |
| #19 | Consumers Energy | 66% |
| #20 | Southern Company | 63% |
*Planned CAPEX unreported, shows 2022 realized CAPEX
Avangrid climbed to first place in 2022, tying with NextEra and PSEG, who both maintained their 100% carbon-free investment plans from 2021. This marks an improvement from Avangrid’s 98% the year prior.
Meanwhile, National Grid pulled off the most significant percentage increase, from 3% to 93% from 2021 to 2022.
Overall, carbon-free investment is up 3 percentage points year-over-year from 63% to 66% for the top 47 IOUs.
Which Utilities Are Included in the Decarbonization Index?
The IOUs ranked in this year’s Utility Decarbonization Index are the 47 largest in the U.S. by their 2022 net owned and purchased electricity generations.
U.S. IOUs that had fewer than 2 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of owned generation were excluded from the report.
The 47 IOUs featured in the Index accounted for over two-thirds of the nation’s electricity generation in 2022. As a result, these utilities’ decarbonization efforts will significantly impact the 33% of U.S. emissions that come from the power sector.
Download the 2024 Annual Utility Decarbonization Report
In addition to the Decarbonization Index, there’s much more to explore in the 2024 report, including:
- Inflation Reduction Act impacts
- Market trends
- Year-to-year progressions
- Fuel mix rankings for the largest public utilities
- Gas utility emissions rankings
Are you interested in seeing the rest of the rankings? Download the 2024 NPUC Annual Utility Decarbonization Report now.
Clean Energy
Visualized: Renewable Energy Capacity Through Time (2000–2023)
This streamgraph shows the growth in renewable energy capacity by country and region since 2000.
Visualized: Renewable Energy Capacity Through Time (2000–2023)
Global renewable energy capacity has grown by 415% since 2000, or a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%.
However, many large and wealthy regions, including the United States and Europe, maintain a lower average annual renewable capacity growth.
This chart, created in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, shows how each world region has contributed to the growth in renewable energy capacity since 2000, using the latest data release from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Renewable Energy Trends in Developed Economies
Between 2000 and 2023, global renewable capacity increased from 0.8 to 3.9 TW. This was led by China, which added 1.4 TW, more than Africa, Europe, and North America combined. Renewable energy here includes solar, wind, hydro (excluding pumped storage), bioenergy, geothermal, and marine energy.
During this period, capacity growth in the U.S. has been slightly faster than what’s been seen in Europe, but much slower than in China. However, U.S. renewable growth is expected to accelerate due to the recent implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Overall, Asia has shown the greatest regional growth, with China being the standout country in the continent.
| Region | 2000–2023 Growth | 10-Year Growth (2013–2023) | 1-Year Growth (2022–2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 313% | 88% | 10% |
| China | 1,817% | 304% | 26% |
| United States | 322% | 126% | 9% |
| Canada | 57% | 25% | 2% |
It’s worth noting that Canada has fared significantly worse than the rest of the developed world since 2000 when it comes to renewable capacity additions. Between 2000 and 2023, the country’s renewable capacity grew only by 57%.
Trends in Developing Economies
Africa’s renewable capacity has grown by 184% since 2000 with a CAGR of 4%.
India is now the most populous country on the planet, and its renewable capacity is also rapidly growing. From 2000–2023, it grew by 604%, or a CAGR of 8%.
It is worth remembering that energy capacity is not always equivalent to power generation. This is especially the case for intermittent sources of energy, such as solar and wind, which depend on natural phenomena.
Despite the widespread growth of renewable energy worldwide, IRENA emphasizes that global renewable generation capacity must triple from its 2023 levels by 2030 to meet the ambitious targets set by the Paris Agreement.
Learn how the National Public Utilities Council is working toward the future of sustainable electricity.
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