What percentage of overall power generation in the US does Nuclear Energy contribute?
The USA is the world's largest producer of nuclear power, accounting for more than 30% of worldwide nuclear generation of electricity.
The country's 104 nuclear reactors produced 807 billion kWh (kilowatt-hours) in 2010, over 20% of total electrical output.
In 2010, the US electricity generation was 4361 billion kWh, 46% of it from coal, 23% from gas, 19% nuclear and 6.5% from hydro. Yearly electricity demand is estimated to increase to 5,000 billion kWh in 2030. However in the short term it is depressed and is not estimated to recover to the expected 2007 level until about 2015. Annual electricity consumption is currently around 12,400 kWh per capital. Total capacity is 1027 GWe (Gigawatt of Electric Energy) , less than one tenth of which is nuclear.
The USA has 104 nuclear power reactors in 31 states, operated by 30 different power companies. Since 2001 these power plants have achieved an average capacity factor of over 90%, generating up to 807 billion kWh per year and accounting for 20% of total electricity generated. Capacity factor has risen from 50% in the early 1970s, to 70% in 1991, and it passed 90% in 2002.
The USA is the world's largest producer of nuclear power, accounting for more than 30% of worldwide nuclear generation of electricity.
The country's 104 nuclear reactors produced 807 billion kWh (kilowatt-hours) in 2010, over 20% of total electrical output.
In 2010, the US electricity generation was 4361 billion kWh, 46% of it from coal, 23% from gas, 19% nuclear and 6.5% from hydro. Yearly electricity demand is estimated to increase to 5,000 billion kWh in 2030. However in the short term it is depressed and is not estimated to recover to the expected 2007 level until about 2015. Annual electricity consumption is currently around 12,400 kWh per capital. Total capacity is 1027 GWe (Gigawatt of Electric Energy) , less than one tenth of which is nuclear.
The USA has 104 nuclear power reactors in 31 states, operated by 30 different power companies. Since 2001 these power plants have achieved an average capacity factor of over 90%, generating up to 807 billion kWh per year and accounting for 20% of total electricity generated. Capacity factor has risen from 50% in the early 1970s, to 70% in 1991, and it passed 90% in 2002.