Key Issues
Graphics and Charts
Power Production Equivalents InfoGraphic (2010)
This chart shows the amount of electricity produced from one uranium fuel pellet, in comparison to other energy sources.
U.S. Electricity Production Cost InfoGraphic (2008)
This chart shows that nuclear energy produces the most cost-efficient electricity between coal and natural gas.
Average Operating Efficiency by Source of Electricity Infographic (2008)
This chart shows that nuclear energy's operating efficiency is higher than any other energy source.
U.S. Electricity Generation Fuel Shares InfoGraphic (2008)
This chart shows that nuclear energy makes up nearly 20 percent of the nation's electricity supply.
U.S. Nuclear Industry Capacity Factors (1971 - 2008)
Over the past two decades, nuclear power plants have achieved increasingly higher capacity factors with the same or greater levels of safety. The average capacity factor for U.S. plants in operation in 1980 was 56.3 percent; in 1990, 66 percent; and in 2008, 91.5 percent.
U.S. Electricity Production Costs (1995 - 2008)
This line graph shows average U.S. electricity production costs between 1995 and 2008 for nuclear, coal, gas, and oil.
Monthly Fuel Cost to U.S. Electric Utilities (1995 - 2008)
This line graph shows U.S. electric utilities’ monthly fuel costs for nuclear, coal, gas, and oil between 1995 and 2008.
Fuel as a Percentage of Electric Power Industry Production Costs (2008)
This bar chart shows the percentage of electric industry production costs attributable to fuel for nuclear, coal, gas and oil in 2008.
U.S. Nuclear Refueling Outage Days (Average, 1990-2008)
This bar chart shows the average length of refueling outages for U.S. nuclear plants.
