Existing US nuclear sites could host up to 95 GW to help meet power demand: DOE

US nuclear plant sites could host as much as 95 GW of additional capacity—about double current nuclear capacity—depending on the type of new reactor to help meeting growing electricity demand, according to an analysis from the US Department of Energy.

The DOE report, released Sept. 9, also looked at dozens of coal plant sites in 36 states and found the potential for as much as 174 GW of nuclear capacity.

The DOE estimates the US will need about 200 GW of additional nuclear capacity by 2050 to support growing demand from increasing electrification and large-load customers, such as data centers. The report evaluated all 54 operating and 11 recently retired nuclear plant sites across 31 states, as well as some coal plant sites, for their potential to host new nuclear to meet that need.

Site footprints and acreage, aerial analyses, utility plans, availability of cooling water, proximity to large population centers or to hazardous facilities, or to hazards such as flood or seismic risk, among other factors, were included in the preliminary analysis, dated Sept. 3.

Report authors found 41 operating and retired nuclear sites across 24 states with room to host one or more new 1,117-MW light-water reactors, such as the AP1000 units recently completed in the expansion of Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power Co.'s Vogtle nuclear plant expansion. New large-scale reactors at those sites could add 60 GW of capacity, according to the report.

But that additional capacity could grow to 95 GW should reactors of 600 MW or less, including advanced technologies such as small modular reactors, become commercially viable, opening up sites that could host smaller additions, said authors of the report.

"The current 54 operating [nuclear power plant] sites provide an excellent option for adding new nuclear capacity because of their license pedigree," according to the report.

Among the sites analyzed in the report were several where companies have previously pursued 17 additional reactors through the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing process. Those reactors were never built, but were planned for existing nuclear sites. All told, those reactors could have generated another 24 GW.

Adding new nuclear units at existing sites is also advantageous because communities surrounding those plants "already support nuclear energy, know the safety culture and are aware of continuous strict environmental monitoring of areas surrounding the plants," report authors said.

Coal plant sites for new nuclear

The DOE also looked at coal plant sites with a minimum of 600 MW of transmission capacity and either an operating plant or generating facilities retired since 2020. Coal plants retired prior to 2020 were not included since plant sites "are frequently converted to gas-fired units or are used for other generation types or purposes," according to the report. Those sites also may have since lost their licenses to connect to the grid, which would require additional time and effort to restore.

The agency found 128-174 GW of new nuclear capacity, depending on the type and size of the unit, could be added at the 145 coal plant sites that were reviewed.

Adding nuclear units at or near existing coal plant sites would take advantage of existing infrastructure and grid access and could help maintain jobs as coal plants are shut, according to the report.

While nuclear advocates and utility leaders have praised the Vogtle expansion completion and signaled support for both new large-scale and smaller, advanced reactors, many have also said additional support will be necessary for developers to make the leap, while DOE officials have emphasized that current incentives are already generous.

"It's probably going to be a challenge to get more," Michael Goff, acting assistant secretary of the agency's Office of Nuclear Energy, said in a June interview with S&P Global Commodity Insights. "There is a lot there for people to act on ... . This is the most incentives we've ever had for moving forward on deployment of new technologies."