Nuclear Power: Will there be 6 or 60 New Plants in the US?

Nuclear power has a quiet and impressive recent history: nuclear plants supply 20% of U.S. electricity, have achieved industry-wide capacity factors greater than 90%, and have operated safely and inexpensively over the last decades. Despite this record-breaking performance, no new U.S. plants have been built in the last 30 years, and nuclear building infrastructure has atrophied. Incentives in the 2005 Energy Policy Act aim to re-start the American nuclear industry. These operate by authorizing loan guarantees and tax credits for the first 6,000 MWe of nuclear power (or about six plants) built in the United States. But what about future nuclear stations – will plant “Lucky Number 7” be built? More