The United States operates 96 commercial nuclear reactors at 57 power plants across 28 states, with a combined net summer generating capacity of 98,441 megawatts, according to the US Energy Information Administration's latest industry profile.

Illinois leads the nation on both counts, with 11 reactors at six plants and roughly 11,592 megawatts of nuclear capacity, a legacy of the state's early and sustained commitment to the technology. The newest addition to the fleet sits in Georgia: Unit 4 at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant entered commercial operation in April 2024, completing the first new-build reactor project in the country in over three decades.

Nuclear energy supplies close to one-fifth of US utility-scale electricity generation, a share it has held for years on the strength of capacity factors near 90%. EIA's long-range projections show the installed base holding essentially flat in most scenarios, with nuclear's generation share drifting from 17% toward 12% to 15% by 2050 as total demand grows faster than new reactors come online.

That baseline projection predates the current wave of announced projects. Small modular reactor construction permits, DOE pilot authorizations and utility filings now in motion would add capacity beyond the existing fleet if they reach completion, and data center power demand is the force pushing them forward.

Source: US Energy Information Administration - https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/us-nuclear-industry.php