Nuclear power generated about 18.6% of U.S. electricity in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and roughly 47% of the nation's carbon-free electricity.
As of 2024, 94 commercial nuclear reactors operate at 54 plants across 28 states, with the average U.S. reactor about 42 years old.
The two new Vogtle reactors in Georgia, completed in 2023 and 2024, came in roughly seven years behind schedule and more than $17 billion over the original $14 billion budget.
Supporters cite nuclear's low lifecycle carbon emissions and high capacity factor (around 93%); critics cite construction costs, accident risk, and the absence of a permanent federal repository for spent fuel.
The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act created production tax credits for existing reactors and new advanced reactors, and the Department of Energy has funded demonstration projects for small modular reactor designs.