Advances in nuclear technology hold the promise of greater access to clean energy—and so much more.
The next generation of reactors will protect the climate, boost the economy with long-term, well-paying jobs, and ensure our global leadership and national security. Advanced reactors, including small modular reactors (SMRs), will be critical for the electric grid of the future in the United States.
What’s more, new reactor designs will also provide applications with enormous social benefits in addition to their clean electricity. The next wave of reactors can turn seawater into drinking water. They can start up quickly and provide resilient power even when the grid goes out. Micro-reactors can provide power for rural communities and developing nations. Some designs will run at high enough temperatures to provide heat for industrial processes or assist in hydrogen production as an alternative fuel, enabling a decarbonization of the transportation and industrial sectors.
New reactors will provide built-in, inherent safety features. Some designs will work under normal atmospheric pressure, require smaller emergency planning zones and even recover and recycle elements in used fuel that still have energy-producing potential.
Southern Nuclear is constructing two new reactors in Georgia. And these are not just any reactors, they are AP1000s, the most sophisticated units available on the market.
· At the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Southern Co. is building two Westinghouse AP1000 reactors, which use enhanced safety and cooling features. Vogtle 3 and 4 are the only reactors under construction in the United States.
· The construction project currently employs more than 5,000 workers and will provide 800 permanent jobs.
· The new reactors will provide more than 2,200 megawatts of carbon-free energy to the state. Upon completion, the four reactors at Vogtle will provide enough zero-emission electricity to power 1 million Georgia homes and businesses.
· Stay updated with the latest schedules and construction milestones from Southern Nuclear.
Advanced reactors, including SMRs, are the bright future of nuclear energy, but high upfront costs and poorly designed regulations threaten to keep these technologies from reaching the market.
· Private investment in advanced reactor technology, such as SMRs, is not enough, according to small reactor consortium SMR Start. Without government partnership, large costs associated with being the first new reactor to market discourage investments and slow the adoption of new technology.
· Without a predictable and stable path to license new reactors, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission review becomes more time-consuming and expensive, even though new reactor designs are inherently safer.
If commercialized, advanced nuclear can strengthen our grid, help address climate and maintain a robust domestic nuclear sector
· Support public-private partnerships to reduce costs to develop and license new technologies.
· Support funding for government research initiatives for nuclear energy.
· Urge the NRC to streamline licensing of advanced reactors to ensure American leadership in nuclear energy.
Innovative small reactors can help meet clean energy goals and make electricity more accessible for all. Learn how government programs and regulatory action can make them a reality.