Nuclear plants produce almost 20% of U.S. electricity

Nuclear power plants accounted for nearly 20% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2016, but the plants only comprise of 9% of U.S. generation capacity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The plants are able to do this because they can be operated at a high capacity.

“Nuclear plants have higher capacity factors than any other electricity generating technology, averaging 90% over the past five years,” according to the EIA. Existing plants provide for 99 gigawatts of capacity, and all but 4 gigawatts of capacity started operating between 1970 and 1990.

In 2016, the United States had 99 operating nuclear reactors at 61 plants, with an average age of 37 years. The oldest operating reactor was built in 1969, and the newest was added in 2016, the first new reactor since 1996.

Four reactors are under construction and will add more than 4 gigawatts of capacity. Since 2013, five nuclear plants have been retired and several other plants plan to stop operating, which will eliminate 6 gigawatts of capacity.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission gives new plants a license to operate for 40 years, and as of 2016, 84 of the 99 operating reactors have received license renewals, extending the expiration date by 20 years.

Arkansas is one of 38 states that have at least once nuclear reactor. Illinois and Pennsylvania have the most nuclear capacity, accounting for 1/5^th of the total nuclear capacity in the United States.