Biden admin sets new target to triple US nuclear capacity from 2020 levels

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The Biden administration is aiming to triple U.S. nuclear energy capacity from 2020 over the next two decades, according to a new plan released in the waning months of the president's term.

As of 2020, the U.S. was responsible for producing 29.9% of global nuclear electricity, as reported by the Energy Information Administration.

The new framework, released Tuesday, aims to reach an ultimate goal of 200 gigawatts (GW) of net nuclear capacity in the U.S. by 2050, which according to the White House is at least three times the capacity just four years ago.

The new standards will be implemented through short-term goals.

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President Biden announced a new initiative to triple American nuclear energy from 2020 levels by increasing capacity to 200 gigawatts by 2050. (Christian Monterrosa)

The U.S. aims to achieve its initial goal by 2035, focusing on bolstering the nation's energy infrastructure through the addition of 35 GW of new nuclear capacity, sourced from facilities that are currently operational or under construction.

The next target is set to deploy 15 GW annually by 2040.

Also highlighted in the plan is the role domestic nuclear energy production plays in the Biden administration's goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The White House stated that expanding nuclear energy could help curb the climate crisis, which was described in the memo as "one of the existential threats of our time."

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Reaching the new nuclear energy goal would "strengthen our national security, increase energy reliability and resilience, grow America’s economy, and restore American leadership and global competitiveness in this critical industry," according to the White House.

Power lines come off of the nuclear plant on Three Mile Island, with the operational plant run by Exelon Generation on the right, in Middletown, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 2019. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)

The administration identified 30 different ways the target can be achieved, including the building of large-scale light water reactors or small modular reactors near coal plants, according to Dr. Michael Goff, the acting assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy.

The new framework also includes building new nuclear power plants, updating existing reactors and restarting reactors.

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If the targets are met, the Biden administration expects the expansion of U.S. nuclear capacity will create thousands of new jobs, strengthen national security and grow global competitiveness in the industry.