Affordable & Reliable
Nuclear energy is needed to meet increasing electricity demand. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates the nation will need 25 percent more electricity by 2030.
There is a limited supply of natural resources, which is insufficient to continue to meet growing electricity demand. We need to focus on clean, affordable, reliable and sustainable sources of energy that can help us right now – today. Maintaining or increasing nuclear energy’s share in the nation’s energy mix will help achieve this end. It will also reduce U.S. dependence on imported energy sources.
Unlike some other energy sources, nuclear energy is not subject to unreliable weather or climate conditions, unpredictable cost fluctuations, or dependence on foreign suppliers. In fact, nuclear energy is a strong domestic and international industry with plentiful fuel supply sources.
An Energy Source for Today and Tomorrow
Nuclear energy provides an affordable and reliable source of energy. It is our nation’s largest source of electricity that does not produce greenhouse gases. It is also our second largest source of power. The 104 reactors supply 20 percent of the electricity produced in the United States.
- Nuclear energy already provides electricity to one out of five homes and businesses in the United States.
- With 104 nuclear power plants around the country, it is already a major electricity source in many areas of the United States.
- Some states already rely on nuclear energy for most of their electricity needs. For example, Vermont gets 76 percent of its electricity from nuclear energy, and New Hampshire and South Carolina both depend on it for more than half of their power.
Increasing Savings
Less fluctuation in production costs means a more predictable electricity bill. You should not have to worry each month that your electricity bill is eating into your household budget, and you should not have to fear that it will keep rising. Nuclear energy is affordable and predictable in cost. Nuclear power reactors operate efficiently, produce electricity cheaply and have a long lifespan.
- Nuclear power has the lowest production cost of the major sources of electricity and nuclear plants are the most efficient on the electricity grid.
- These plants are able to produce electricity with low cost and stable prices because they use an enriched form of uranium for fuel.
- The energy potential of one uranium fuel pellet—the size of the tip of your little finger—is the equivalent of 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas, 1,780 pounds of coal, or 149 gallons of oil.
- Nuclear plants can run about 540 days before they are shut down for a short period of time for refueling. In 2005, the average refueling outage was 38 days.
- The average fuel cost for nuclear plants last year was 0.45 cents/kwh, compared to 1.36 cents/kwh for coal and 3.44 cents/kwh for natural gas.