As of 2023, there are 94 nuclear reactors operating in 30 states in the United States. These reactors provide about 20% or 770 terawatt hours (TWh) of the country’s total power mix. As a baseload source, nuclear is operational 93% of the time and provides nearly half of the country’s clean energy. The reactors are turned off every 18 to 24 months for refueling and maintenance.

Worldwide, there are around commercial 440 nuclear reactors today that provide 390 GW of electricity in 31 countries. In 2023, these reactors produced 2600 TWh or 9% of the world’s electricity.

米国の主要な投資家所有の電力会社では、原子力発電による電力の平均コスト（2015年）は約$26/MWhである。一方、石炭による発電コストは$37/MWh、天然ガスによる発電コストは$33/MWhである。また、これには原子力発電にはない汚染や廃棄物処理のコストは含まれていない。 

1GWの発電所（75万世帯分）で消費される核燃料は1日あたりわずか3kgで、同重量の銀燃料の約半分である。 原子力発電所から放出されるのは、蒸気かきれいな温水だけである。 燃料費は1kWhあたり約2分の1セントで、カリフォルニアの消費者向けエネルギー価格（1kWhあたり$0.25～$0.50）よりはるかに安い。

同等の石炭火力発電所に必要なのは 9000トン of coal of day. The fuel costs 3.5 times more. By weight U-235 (3% enriched) fuel produces 2.5 million times more energy than coal.

The average age of the US nuclear plant fleet in the US is about 35 years. In the US, licenses for 18 reactors are due to expire by 2030. This represents 27.7 GW of capacity or about 215 TWh (4 to 5%) of total electricity generation. However, the operating lifes is determined by regulations. With proper upgrades, the lifetimes can be extended up to 60 to 80 years with no loss in generation capacity or safety.

Almost no GHGs are produced. Unlike fossil fuel-fired plants that burn coal, gas, or oil, nuclear reactors do not produce carbon dioxide (CO2), the main GHG, during its operation. While substantial amounts of concrete and steel have been used in older reactors, newer designs and manufacturing techniques will bring down the energy input to negligible amounts. Consequently, the embedded carbon would be less than what it takes to build a solar or farm farm today.

Very safe. Nuclear power plants not only do not give off CO2, they also do not emit toxic pollution, including particulate matter (PM) or heavy metals like mercury, which causes substantial brain damage. In fact, coal-fired plants give off substantially more radioactive materials from the combustion of the fuel than from the nuclear reactors.

It is estimated that about a million lives in the US have been saved by nuclear power through the air pollution that it has averted.

No fatalities have yet to be reported on the handling of the waste or by-products in the history of nuclear power generation. In fact, nuclear "waste" is actually 96% recyclable. The by-products can be reprocessed for further power generation.

At the same time, permanent solutions to store untreated waste have been commercialized using drilling technologies that isolate the material in deep geological sites that are safe from human exposure for millions of years.

No. Nuclear fuel cannot be directly used to make nuclear weapons. The uranium that is used to make weapons are enriched to at least 90% U-235. However materials along the nuclear fuel cycle from yellowcake to spent fuel can be reprocessed to obtain weapons grade uranium.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plays a role in ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear power. According to their web site, "the IAEA fosters the efficient and safe use of nuclear power by supporting existing and new nuclear programs around the world, catalyzing innovation and building capacity in energy planning, analysis, and nuclear information and knowledge management. The Agency helps countries meet growing energy demand for development, while improving energy security, reducing environmental and health impacts, and mitigating climate change."

米国をはじめとする数カ国は、原子力の安全性、経済性、汎用性を向上させるため、より新しい原子炉設計（第4世代原子炉）を追求してきた。 これらの原子炉の導入は、既存の経済圏と新興経済圏の両方において、経済的に競争力のあるクリーンなエネルギー源の利用に貢献することができる。

欧米では1990年代から30以上の原子炉設計が進められてきた。 これらのプロジェクトのほとんどは民間資金で、少なくとも13億円が投資されている。 

何十年もの間、米国や他の国々は、現在の原子炉よりも効率的で安全なだけでなく、より汎用性の高い原子炉設計の革新を追求してきた。原子炉は高温（600℃以上）で運転されるため、世界の温室効果ガス排出量の3分の1を占める産業部門に適している。これらの産業用途には、化学原料や鉄鋼加工のプロセス熱、水の脱塩などが含まれる。