The increase in maximum production capacity at commercial nuclear power plants is known as power uprate. Currently, several nuclear plants in the United States are reviewing their applications to increase electricity generation in the medium term so that they can fill the existing gap while new nuclear capacity is being developed.
Upgrade Licenses and Additional Capacity
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) oversees the maximum production capacity levels of commercial nuclear power plants. The allowable power level is specified in the plant's license and technical specifications and cannot be changed without NRC approval. U.S. nuclear plants can request the NRC to increase their production capacity. This agency evaluates the safety and feasibility of these requests and, if approved, issues a permit for the capacity increase.
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In the past two decades, the NRC has approved upgrade requests that have added 6 gigawatts of additional electricity to the U.S. power grid. This amount is equivalent to the output of six large reactors. To increase production capacity, nuclear operators must make changes to measurement tools, controls, and power generation systems. While these upgrades can cost billions of dollars, they allow for increased electricity production much faster than building a new facility.
New Investments and Their Impacts
In October, Constellation Energy, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States, announced it would invest over $4.3 billion to upgrade 11 reactors at six plants in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. This action will enable these plants to add 890 megawatts of additional electricity to the grid, enough to power 700,000 homes.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced it will provide an unconditional $4.2 billion loan to energy company Vistra for upgrading three nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio, which will add 430 megawatts of additional capacity. Furthermore, Amazon has made an agreement to upgrade the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant in Maryland, and Google has announced plans to increase electricity generation from four reactors in Georgia.
Despite the financial challenges that nuclear operators have faced in recent years, the growing demand for electricity, particularly due to the rise of data centers and improved public perception of nuclear energy, has contributed to new investments in this sector. The NRC predicts that between 2026 and 2032, a total of 31 power uprate applications will be submitted for a combined capacity of 7.3 gigawatts thermal and 2.4 gigawatts electrical.
The agency expects to approve several of these projects, as many of the operators submitting upgrade requests have years of experience in developing nuclear energy in the United States and are well-acquainted with safety issues.
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