Energy is a leading discussion topic around the globe. The U.S. Energy Information Agency forecasts the U.S. will need an additional 340 GWe of generating capacity by 2040. Globally, demand for electricity is expected to rise by more than 3,000 GWe in the same period.
New nuclear plants are necessary to lessen the world’s dependence on a finite oil
supply, to meet the needs of both developed and expanding economies, for the diversification of fuel mix, and to slow
the amount of CO
2 emitted into our environment.
Current U.S. energy market metrics/challenges
include:
Coal
- 318 GWe from 1,112 coal-fired power plants
- Aging infrastructure with 50
percent of power plants more than 40 years old
- Changing EPA regulations are making small coal plants uneconomical to operate
- Increasing concern with power production that emits greenhouse gases such as CO2.
Natural Gas
- 418 GWE from 493 natural gas-fired power plants
- Approximately 50% of the domestic natural
gas power production is performed in Texas and Louisiana
- Historical volatility
of natural gas prices
Wind/Solar
- Wind and solar are playing an increasingly important role in our energy supply, but they only produce power about 25% of the time (depending on the weather).
Nuclear
- 100 GWe from 104 plants represent 10% of U.S. capacity and provides 20 percent of total U.S. generation
- NRC licenses expire and retirements begin in 2029. All plants retire by 2050.
NuScale has developed a clean, reliable, and economical technology that will play
a significant role in meeting future demand in the U.S. and other nations.
Read more about nuclear energy and the rising global demand for
energy.