Why Nuclear?
The United States is currently faced with a sobering reality: the Department of Energy projects that Americans will need about 25 percent more electricity by 2035, but the electricity supply we have in place today will not meet that rise in demand.
Nuclear energy already provides 20 percent of the United States’ energy today and will continue to play a vital role in meeting U.S. energy demands without emitting harmful air emissions. In order to meet our nation’s clean energy goals, the U.S. will need a broad portfolio of energy solutions and nuclear energy must be a part of that.
The United States depends on nuclear energy because it is:
- Production costs at nuclear energy facilities are lower than those of any other electricity source and generate electricity 24/7 at a 91 percent capacity factor.
- Nuclear energy provides more than 70 percent of our nation’s clean-air electricity.
- American nuclear energy has safely served as a workhorse of the country’s electric grid for more than four decades. Over this time, the industry has safely and securely operated 104 reactors in 31 states.
- Each year, the average 1,000 megawatt (MW) nuclear energy facility generates approximately $470 million a year in total economic output for the local community.
Americans Support Nuclear
A majority of Americans today believe in nuclear energy, and nuclear energy facility neighbors are its biggest supporters. Eighty percent of nuclear facility neighbors have a favorable impression of their local plant, largely in part due to the industry’s impeccable safety record and the positive economic impact on the local community.
Clean and safe nuclear power will always be a part of our country’s energy portfolio. It would take decades – and tens of billions of dollars – to replace that capacity. As we look to the future, nuclear energy is vital to meeting U.S. energy demands without emitting harmful emissions.
