The United States operates 94 licensed nuclear power reactors that together supply almost 20% of the country's electricity, according to nuclear industry data. Nuclear remains the largest source of carbon-free electricity in the US power mix, and its share has held steady even as total electricity generation has grown.

The fleet's contribution is notable for its consistency. Nuclear plants run at high capacity factors, operating around the clock and providing firm baseload power that complements variable sources such as wind and solar. That reliability has become more valuable as utilities plan for rising electricity demand from data centers and electrification.

Recent additions have strengthened the fleet. Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in Georgia, which entered service in 2023 and 2024, were the first newly constructed reactors to come online in the US in decades and rank among the largest single sources of carbon-free electricity in the country. The completed units are expected to generate more than 30 million megawatt-hours per year.

Policy targets point to substantial growth ahead. Federal goals call for expanding US nuclear capacity from roughly 100 gigawatts today to 400 gigawatts by 2050, a fourfold increase that would require sustained construction of new reactors alongside restarts and uprates of existing plants. The data illustrates a fleet that anchors the current grid while positioned for expansion.

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