Nuke Rebirth: Contain Your Excitement

August 07, 2023

The first nuclear reactor built from scratch in the U.S. in decades is now in commercial operation. Georgia Power’s Vogtle Plant Unit Three has full capacity of 1,100 megawatts and should operate for more than fifty years. However, the reactor is seven years late and $17 billion over budget, a sore spot for the nuclear power industry.

Georgia Power customers now face higher bills as the second new charge associated with the plant kicks in. Additional fees are expected.

Recent polls show the highest level of support for nuclear power in a decade. Nuclear currently supplies almost 50% of U.S. carbon-free electricity. China plans to build at least six to eight reactors a year through 2025, and Canada's first large-scale nuclear project since the early 1990s will break ground in Ontario.

More: Americans' Support for Nuclear Energy Highest in a Decade (gallup.com)