Key facts
- Nuclear power plants are seeking permission to increase their operating power levels through uprates.
- Uprates can add 6-8 GW of clean power to the US grid, according to analysts.
- Constellation Energy plans to invest $4.3 billion to add 890 MW from 11 reactors.
- The US Department of Energy is loaning Vistra $4.2 billion for uprates adding 430 MW.
- Tech companies like Google and Amazon are investing in nuclear power uprates to meet data center energy demand.
Nuclear power plant operators in the United States are seeking permission from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to increase the power output of existing facilities through a process called a power uprate. These upgrades involve modifying reactor instrumentation, controls, and power-generation systems, and can cost billions of dollars but are often completed in five years or less. Analysts estimate these uprates could add 6-8 GW of clean power to the grid, helping to bridge the gap while new nuclear capacity is developed and meeting the rapidly increasing demand from AI data centers. Over the past two decades, the NRC has approved uprates that have added 6 GW of power to the U.S. electricity grid. Several major projects are underway, including Constellation Energy's $4.3 billion investment to add 890 MW of power and the Department of Energy's $4.2 billion conditional loan to Vistra for uprates adding 430 MW. Tech companies like Google and Amazon are investing in these projects, with Google agreeing to buy electricity from upgraded Constellation plants and Amazon completing an agreement for uprates at Calvert Cliffs.