Nuclear power continues to supply about a fifth of US electricity from a fleet of 94 commercial reactors, according to industry data for 2026. The reactors operate at 54 sites and represent nearly 97 gigawatts of net generating capacity, making nuclear the largest single source of carbon free electricity on the grid.

The fleet share has held remarkably steady even as few new plants have been built, a reflection of high reliability. Nuclear plants run at some of the highest capacity factors of any generating source, operating close to full output around the clock, which allows a relatively small number of reactors to deliver roughly 19 to 20 percent of national generation.

The pipeline for added capacity is filling. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission expected applications list identifies about 30 planned power uprates through 2030, with three applications in 2026, 16 in 2027, and eight in 2028. Uprates increase the output of existing reactors without new construction and are among the fastest ways to add carbon free capacity.

Restarts add another layer. The commission approved the restart of the Palisades plant in Michigan, the first such approval on record, and additional restarts are planned. Combined with longer fuel cycles and other output increases, these measures could add more than 8 gigawatts of capacity over the coming decade, lifting the contribution of an aging fleet that continues to anchor grid reliability.

Source: Nuclear Energy Institute - https://www.nei.org/resources/statistics