7.5: United States Commercial Nuclear Power Reactors

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Location of United States Commercial Reactors

In 2020, there are ninety-five commercial working nuclear reactors in the United States. The majority of these reactors are on the eastern side of the country. Each reactor site houses between one and three reactors. The average age of these nuclear reactors is approximately thirty-six years. Each year, reactor units are rigorously inspected for safety. Also, reactors that cannot meet safety measures or are not able to be upgraded will be placed on shut-down. These reactors will eventually be closed forever or decommissioned.

Figure_1_NRC_Regions_and_Operating_Nuclear_Power_Plants_in_the_United_States_(10983099064).png — Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Nuclear Power: Analysis of Regional Differences and Improved Access to Information Could Strengthen NRC Oversight (U.S. Government Accountability Offic)

Two Types of United States Commercial Reactors

In the United States, commercial reactors can be one of two types. Sixty-four reactors are pressurized water reactors (or PWRs). This type of reactor uses light water as a moderator and a coolant. The water in the reactor is kept under high pressure. This type of configuration does not allow water to boil. The water inside the reactor transfers its heat to the water in a steam generator. Then, steam is produced to aid in the production of electrical energy.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Pressurized Water Reactor. (Public Domain; Nuclear Regulatory Commission via Wikipedia)

The other thirty-two commercial reactors are of the boiling water reactors (BWRs) variety. These reactors also use light water as their moderator and coolant. Here, the water in the reactor is allowed to boil. This heated water goes directly to the turbine house which is separated from a generator. The radioactive water that goes through the turbine is contained inside the nuclear facility. Cooling this water with a condenser allows it to be returned into the reactor and used for coolant once again.

Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Boiling Water Reactor. (Public Domain; Nuclear Regulatory Commission via Wikipedia)

NRC Classification of Nuclear Reactors

NRC_DIfferent_Classifications_for_Types_of_Reactors_(36754219626).jpg — Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Infographics of the NRC different classifications for types of reactors from the 2017-2018 Information Digest, NUREG 1350, Volume 29. Published in August 2017. (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)

Decommissioning Nuclear Reactors

Map_of_Power_Reactors_Decommissioning_Status_(36631032142).jpg — Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): Infographics of the Map of Power Reactors Decommissioning status from the 2017-2018 Information Digest, NUREG 1350, Volume 29. Published in August 2017. (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)

New Construction in the United States

References

www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=228&t=21