United States of America

As of 31 December 2022

The USA has 93 operable reactors with the largest combined capacity of any single country.

Vogtle 3, an AP1000, was connected to the grid in April 2023 and reached full power the following month. An additional AP1000, unit 4, is expected to commence operation early in 2024.

The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law in August 2022. The Act provides support for existing and new nuclear development through investment and tax incentives for both large, existing nuclear plants and newer, advanced reactors, as well as high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) and hydrogen production.

In California, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) had been planning to shut down the two Diablo Canyon units in 2024 and 2025. In August 2022 California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed to keep the plant operational for an additional five to ten years, extending up to $1.4 billion in loans to keep the two units online. Later that month, the California Assembly passed a bill enabling the plant to remain operational for up to five years longer than originally planned. In March 2023 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved PG&E’s request to operate the two units beyond 2024 and 2025 on the condition that PG&E submits licence renewal applications by the end of 2023.

Figure US1. Annual electricity output (TWh) and age of reactors (years) at time of generation

Figure US2. Average capacity factor of reactors in USA

Figure US3. Emissions avoidance through use of nuclear generation in USA

WNN Links

Hot functional testing complete at Vogtle 4: World Nuclear News - 2 May 2023
Vogtle 3 reaches full power : World Nuclear News - 30 May 2023
Inflation Reduction Act passed by the US House : World Nuclear News - 15 August 2022