By 2050, the U.S. aims to triple its nuclear power, and coal communities may offer a way forward.

• A senior DOE official stated that power plant restarts, such as Three Mile Island, represent only a small portion of the nuclear energy the U.S. will require in the future.
• According to the official, tripling nuclear power in the U.S. could be achieved at a lower cost by constructing new reactors at shuttered coal plants.

The restart of Three Mile Island is a positive development for nuclear power, but the US must build new nuclear plants to meet increasing electricity demand, according to a top nuclear official.

To maintain its position as the world's largest nuclear fleet, the U.S. must triple its current fleet of 94 operational reactors, which generate about 100 gigawatts of power and account for more than 18% of the nation's electricity consumption in 2023.

According to Goff, the U.S. must construct approximately 200 new nuclear power plants, which is equivalent to adding 200 gigawatts of nuclear energy, given the average reactor size of about one gigawatt in the current U.S. fleet.

Goff stated that it is a massive task. In December, the U.S. spearheaded a global coalition committed to achieving this objective by 2050. Financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs and Bank of America supported the goal at a climate conference in New York City this week.

Goff commended 's plan to restart Three Mile Island by 2028, stating that the plant had a history of safe and efficient operation, shutting down only in 2019 for economic reasons.

The reactor that Constellation plans to reopen is not the one that partially melted down in 1979.

The need for new reactors is reinforced by the large data centers that consume up to a gigawatt of electricity, as Microsoft will purchase electricity from a plant to power its data centers.

Goff stated that many data centers require firm, 24/7, baseload clean electricity. He added that nuclear power is an ideal solution for this need.

Goff stated that restarting reactors in the U.S. will only provide a small fraction of the nuclear power that is needed, as there are only a few shuttered plants that are potential candidates for restarts.

Goff stated that the potential restarts were not a significant amount. He emphasized the importance of moving forward with deploying plants.

From coal to nuclear

In many regions of the U.S., the transition away from coal is creating a supply gap for new nuclear plants, which could be filled by coal communities.

Up to 174 gigawatts of new nuclear power could be generated in 36 states through the use of recently shuttered coal plants, those expected to retire, and currently operating plants with no estimated shutdown date yet, according to a Department of Energy study published earlier this month.

Goff stated that coal plants already possess transmission lines, which enables reactors at those sites to bypass the lengthy procedure of establishing new grid connections. Additionally, the plants have individuals with expertise in the energy sector who could shift to working at a nuclear facility, he added.

"Goff stated that we can achieve a 30% cost reduction by constructing at a coal plant instead of a greenfield site."

The construction of new nuclear power plants faces significant challenges, including budget exceedances and extended completion times. For instance, the Vogtle plant in Georgia, which was intended to include two new reactors, ended up costing over $30 billion and took approximately seven years longer than anticipated.

The DOE study suggests that expanding operational nuclear plants and constructing new ones at retired sites in the U.S. could provide a pathway for up to 95 gigawatts of new reactors. Additionally, between coal and nuclear sites, the U.S. has the potential to accommodate up to 269 gigawatts of additional nuclear power.

The potential capacity of the sites would depend on whether smaller or larger reactors, with a gigawatt or more of power, are built.

The DOE study suggests that more electricity could be generated if smaller reactors are rolled out on a large scale, as there is space for more of them. However, some of these advanced designs are still years away from commercialization.

The restart of Three Mile Island could provide a gigawatt of power to meet Microsoft's needs, according to Goff.

He stated that the increased power demand would result in a further push toward gigawatt-sized reactors.

Restarts likely to secure greenlight

Goff stated that while reactor restarts are not a definitive solution, it is essential to maintain the existing fleet. During the past ten years, the U.S. experienced a shutdown of reactors due to their inability to compete with the low-cost and plentiful natural gas.

Goff stated that the economics are shifting, thanks to tax support from the Inflation Reduction Act and the growing recognition of nuclear power's carbon-free benefits.

"The lack of regulation in non-utilities economics meant that clean, baseload electricity had no inherent value. However, there is now greater recognition of the importance of clean, firm, and reliable baseload electricity, particularly for nuclear power."

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will review and approve the restart of Three Mile Island, following the lead of the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, which is set to restart in 2025 under the private ownership of Holtec International.

Goff stated that although they are an independent agency, he anticipates that if safety cases are presented, they will approve the restarts.

"The Three Mile Island plant was operated by Constellation for many years, and their fleet of reactors has been safely and efficiently managed," he stated. "They will continue to possess a significant level of expertise in maintaining the safe operation of those plants."

Restarting nuclear power plants with new plants could be challenging, according to Doug True, the chief nuclear officer at the Nuclear Energy Institute.

"It becomes increasingly difficult," True stated to CNBC. "Many of these plants have already begun the process of dismantling and the facility was not properly prepared for restarting."