How many nuclear power plants do you need to provide energy for the entire Us?

Answer 1

At present there are 104 reactors supplying 19 percent of US electricity. So on that basis, you would need 547 reactors, or 443 new ones. However new ones are probably 1.5 times as large as the existing ones on average, so this would reduce to 295 new ones. The overall total then would be around 400.

Answer 2

The US generates and uses 4063 billion KWh of electricity in one year (2006), or putting it another way, 11.13 billion KWh per day, or 11.13 million MWh. Since there are 24 hours per day, this means an average output of 463.8 thousand MW.

Taking 1500 MW as the typical output of the large PWR's to be built in the next round, this leads to a total of 309 reactors. To go from the nameplate rating to a figure to provide regular reliable power throughout a year, allowing for fuelling outages and maintenance, you would need more like 400 units.

There are 104 operating reactors now and their total percentage of total US electricity is about 20 percent, so you might conclude more like 500 units required, but some of the 104 are smaller units, around 1100 MW, so 400 new ones might be enough.

Either way it is not likely to happen. The other aspect is that this is only electricity. If electric transport becomes a large factor, to reduce use of oil, you are going to need more electricity.

Answer 3

The answer would necessarily include how much power or how big these plants would have to be.