Key Issues

The U.S. Department of Energy projects that U.S. electricity demand will rise 28 percent by 2040, less than 1 percent each year. That means our nation will need hundreds of new power plants to provide electricity for our homes and continued economic growth. Maintaining nuclear energy's current 20 percent share of generation would require building one reactor every year starting in 2016, or 20 to 25 new units by 2040, based on DOE forecasts.

The independent U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted in February 2012 to grant a combined construction and operating license for two reactors at Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle, near Waynesboro. It is the first combined license ever approved for a U.S. nuclear energy facility, which will become the nation’s first new nuclear units built in 30 years.  On March 30, 2012, the NRC issued combined construction and operating licenses to South Carolina Electric & Gas Company for two reactors near Jenkinsville, South Carolina.

Some 16 companies and consortia are studying, licensing or building more than 30 nuclear power reactors. There are now five new nuclear plants under construction in the United States (Watts Bar 2, Summer 2, Summer 3, Vogtle 3, Vogtle 4). The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is actively reviewing 9 combined license applications from 8 companies and consortia for 14 new nuclear power plants. See New Nuclear Plant Status.