Construction plans and cancellations Nuclear energy policy of the United States

many license applications filed nuclear regulatory commission proposed new reactors have been suspended or cancelled. of october 2011, plans 30 new reactors in united states have been whittled down four, despite promise of large subsidies , president barack obama’s support of nuclear power, reaffirmed after fukushima . reactor under construction in america, @ watts bar, tennessee, begun in 1973 , may completed in 2012. matthew wald new york times has reported nuclear renaissance looking small , slow .

generation iii reactors safer older reactors ge mac 1 @ fukushima, vermont yankee , other plants around world. after decade in federal government did boost new version of nuclear power, 1 generation iii+ reactor project has been approved in united states. work on has begun in georgia, , there conflicts between utility, southern company , nuclear regulatory commission . moreover, project going forward because in 1 of few regions of united states (the southeast) electricity markets not deregulated. means utility, operating on cost-plus basis, can pass on rate-payers expense over-runs .

in 2008, energy information administration projected 17 gigawatts of new nuclear power reactors 2030, in 2011 projections, scaled 2030 projection 5 . following fukushima daiichi nuclear disaster, public support building nuclear power plants in u.s. dropped 43%, lower after 3 mile island accident in 1979, according cbs news poll. survey conducted in april 2011 found 64 percent of americans opposed construction of new nuclear reactors. survey sponsored nuclear energy institute, conducted in september 2011, found 62 percent of respondents said favor use of nuclear energy 1 of ways provide electricity in united states, 35 percent opposed .

as of december 2011, construction southern company on 2 new nuclear units has begun, , expected delivering commercial power 2016 , 2017. but, looking ahead, experts see continuing challenges make difficult nuclear power industry expand beyond small handful of reactor projects government agencies decide subsidize forcing taxpayers assume risk reactors , mandating ratepayers pay construction in advance . on february 9, according southern company press release, nrc voted , approved full issuance of combined construction , operating license plant vogtle units 3 , 4. these 2 unites, if completed, first 2 new reactors built in american in 30 years. according southern company, plan on utilizing $1 billion in benefits department of energy loan guarantees, production tax credits , recovering financing costs during construction. if construction proceeds on schedule, georgia power expects unit 3 begin operating in 2016 , unit 4 in 2017.