Top 10 Biggest Nuclear Power Plants In the US By Capacity

What is the capacity of US nuclear power plants?

With almost 30% of the nuclear electricity generated globally, the United States of America is the world's greatest generator of nuclear power. With 98 nuclear reactors spread across 30 states, there are 60 nuclear power facilities that are now in operation for commercial purposes. The U.S. Energy Information Administration counts the two nuclear reactors at the Indian Point Energy Center in New York as independent nuclear plants.

Thirty-six of these nuclear plants have two reactors or more. With three reactors and a total net summer electricity generation capacity of 3,937 megawatts (MW), the Palo Verde nuclear power plant in Arizona is the largest nuclear facility. The smallest nuclear power plant is the 508 MW net summer electricity generating capacity R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in New York. It contains one reactor.

Power plants, which are dispersed around the nation, are essential to the provision of electricity to every American. These manufacturing plants use a variety of methods to produce power, most notably generators that transform mechanical energy into electrical energy.

The total of kinetic energy—produced by motion—and potential energy—created by position or electric charge—is known as mechanical energy. In a power plant, mechanical energy can be produced by using primary fuels—such as coal, natural gas, or uranium—or primary energy flows—such as wind or water.

Top 10 Biggest Nuclear Power Plants In the US Today By Capacity

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How Many Types of Power Plants are There?

Thermal and renewable power plants are the two primary categories of power plants.

The majority of thermal power plants employ a primary fuel to convert water into very pressured steam, which drives a turbine's blades. The kinetic energy is transformed into electric energy by the rotating turbine, which spins enormous wire coils within a generator. Thermal power plants include those that run on coal, natural gas, and nuclear energy.

Primary energy flows are used by renewable power plants to produce electricity. Because their energy sources are self-renewing, they are renewable; nonetheless, this implies that their total energy capacity may be finite. They might not always be productive. In order to generate energy that can be transformed into electricity, hydroelectric facilities use the power of falling water, wind turbines use the power of the wind, and solar panels use the power of the sun.

The bulk of the thermal power plants that produce the most electricity in the US rely on nuclear energy to produce pressured steam, which may be used to generate electricity.

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Top 10 Biggest Nuclear Power Plants In the US Today By Capacity

1. Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

Capacity: 3.93GW

The largest nuclear power station in the United States is the Palo Verde Generating Station, with 3.93GW. It produces more than 32 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of power annually, more than four million people in Arizona may be supplied by it.

The power facility, which is close to Tonopah, Arizona, includes three units that are outfitted with pressurized water reactors. While unit three was finished in 1988, units one and two were put into service in 1986. The plant is unique in the nation in that it uses 20 billion gallons of municipal wastewater for cooling rather than freshwater.

The following entities jointly own the power plant: El Paso Electric (15.8%), Southern California Edison (15.8%), Public Service Co. of New Mexico (10.2%), Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power (5.7%), Arizona Power Service (APS, 29.1%), Salt River Project (SRP, 17.5%), and Public Service Co. of New Mexico (10.2%). For the benefit of the owners, APS runs the plant.

2. Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant

Capacity: 3.4GW

Situated close to Decatur, Alabama, on 840 acres along the Tennessee River is the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. Three boiling water reactors, constructed between 1967 and 1977, are used in it. Browns Ferry was the world's largest nuclear facility when it was first put into service. It ranks as the country's second-highest producer at the moment. The facility generated around 28.7 million MWh of electricity in 2020. There are 1,500 employees at Browns Ferry.

3. Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station

Capacity: 2.77 GW

Situated in York County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station is roughly fifty miles southeast of Harrisburg. Peach Bottom Unit 1 was an experimental helium-cooled reactor that was finished in 1967 and shut down in 1974. Boiling water reactors Units 2 and 3 were put into service in 1974 and are still in use today. With approximately 21.8 MWh of electricity produced in 2020, Peach Bottom ranked fourth nationally in terms of energy production.

4. South Texas Project Electric Generating Station

Capacity: 2.7GW

'In 1988, the South Texas Nuclear Generating Station in Bay City, Texas, became the state's first nuclear power facility. Its use of a 7,000-acre reservoir in place of cooling towers and additional backup core-cooling systems for each of its two reactors are only two of its distinctive characteristics. Due to rising costs and the excruciatingly slow regulatory assessment procedure, NRG Energy abandoned its intentions to expand the facility with two 1,358 MW reactors in 2011. Still, the decision probably had something to do with TEPCO's financial and public relations issues in the wake of the Fukushima tragedy.

5. Oconee Nuclear Power Plant

Capacity: 2.62 GW

The Oconee Nuclear Station operated by Duke Energy in Seneca, South Carolina, completes the top five. With the capacity to power 1.9 million households daily, the three-reactor facility was the first in the US to produce more over 500 million MWhr of electricity. It also became the second nuclear power station in history to have its initial 40-year operating license extended for a further 20 years, allowing it to continue operations until 2031.

6. Suquehanna Nuclear Power Plant

Capacity: 2.6GW

The Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant is situated in Pennsylvania's Luzerne County near Salem Township. With a 2.6GW total capacity, it is the second largest nuclear power facility in Pennsylvania, only surpassed by Peach Bottom Nuclear Station. Talen Energy owns 90% of the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant and Allegheny Electric Cooperative owns 10%. Susquehanna Nuclear operates the facility.

7. Vogel Nuclear Power Station

Capacity: 2.43GW

Situated in Burke County, Waynesboro, Georgia, Vogtle Electric Generating Plant is a nuclear power plant with a 2.43GW overall capacity. Two PWR units with a combined capacity of 2,430 MW currently make up the power plant, and two more reactors are being built.

Additionally, four mechanical draft cooling towers at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant offer nuclear cooling water service for both safety and non-safety components. Additionally, this cooling mechanism aids in lowering reactor decay heat. The Savannah River serves as the cooling source for this Southern Nuclear power station.

8. McGuire Nuclear Power Plant

Capacity: 2.38 GW

Situated on Lake Norman in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, the US, is home to the McGuire nuclear power facility, which has been operational since 1981.

The Duke Energy-owned and -operated facility produces enough electricity to power about 1.7 million households in the United States.

Two 1,215MW (gross) PWR units are built within the McGuire nuclear power facility. The plant's construction started in 1971, and the reactor units McGuire-1 and McGuire-2 were put into service in 1981 and 1984, respectively.

9. Braidwood Generatin

Capacity: 2.39 GW

The 2.39 GW Braidwood power plant is situated close to the Illinois town of Braceville. The plant's construction was began in 1976 and finished in 1987.

Exelon Nuclear owns and runs the facility, which produces enough electricity to power about two million homes.

Two Westinghouse PWR units, which were put into service in July and October of 1988, respectively, are part of the Braidwood power plant. Braidwood-1 is authorized to operate until 2046, and Braidwood-2 is authorized to operate until 2047.

10. Byron Nuclear Power Station

Capacity: 2.34GW

The Byron Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power facility that employs Illinois's well-known Rock River as a cooling supply. It is situated in Ogle County. It consists of two PWR reactors, the first of which began operation in 1985 and the second in 1987. Byron produced about 2,450 megawatts of electricity in 2005, enough to power two million people in Illinois. Exelon Corporation is the owner and operator of the 2.34GW Byron Nuclear Generating Station. It also features two natural drafts that serve as the reactors' cooling towers. Together, the two operating units generate 2,300MW.

In summary

In contrast to other energy sources, nuclear energy is costly and contentious, with a significant portion of costs going into construction. High costs for new reactors are partly a result of a significant lack of mass investment in innovative nuclear technologies. Nuclear energy will remain a major player in the energy landscape of the United States even if you believe that alternatives like wind, solar, or natural gas are currently more advantageous or affordable.

Relatively large electricity-generating capacity electric power plants typically run at high utilization rates, or capacity factors. Within the top 10 highest-generating power plants in 2019, Byron's capacity (the greatest amount of electricity a power plant can create) ranged from 2,300 megawatts (MW) to 3,937 MW (Palo Verde).

These plants produce more electricity annually even though their nameplate capacities are less than that of the Grand Coulee hydroelectric complex in Washington (6,809 MW). In 2019, Grand Coulee produced 16.6 million MWh of power at a lower usage rate.

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