Vogtle Units 1 & 2, GA
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant - Wikipedia
If the US wants to reduce emissions, one way is to go back to building "green" nuclear power plants. The current fleet averages 38 years old, which already exceeds their expected life.
U.S. nuclear industry - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
What is the status of the U.S. nuclear industry?
Electricity generation from commercial nuclear power plants in the United States began in 1958. As of the end of December 2018, the United States had 98 operating commercial nuclear reactors at 60 nuclear power plants in 30 states. The average age of these nuclear reactors is about 38 years old. 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 first reactor to come online since 1996 when the Watts Bar Unit 1 came online. Nineteen shut down commercial power reactors at 17 sites are in various stages of
decommissioning.
Although seven nuclear reactors have been shut down since 2013, total nuclear electricity generation capacity at the end of 2018 was about the same as total capacity in 2003, when the United States had 104 operating reactors. Power plant uprates—modifications to increase capacity—at nuclear power plants have made it possible for the entire operating nuclear reactor fleet to maintain a relatively consistent total electricity generation capacity. These uprates, combined with high capacity utilization rates (or
capacity factors),
have helped nuclear power plants maintain a consistent share of about 20% of total annual U.S. electricity generation since 1990. Some reactors have also increased annual electricity generation by shortening the length of time reactors are offline for refueling.
Coal power in the United States - Wikipedia
Coal generates about 30% of US power and gas about 34%, both emit CO2.
Would you support investing in more nuclear power as part of US infrastructure upgrades?
