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ATM No 126 2025 OCT 1
US to See $350B Nuclear Boom to Power AI, Report Says
- The US nuclear industry is set for a $350 billion revival, driven by rising electricity demand from AI-powered data centers, with reactor output projected to grow 63% by 2050.
- This expansion will add 53 GW of capacity, mainly through small modular reactors (SMRs), though none have yet been built in the US.
- Despite ambitious federal goals to triple or quadruple nuclear output, progress will be slow, with only 9 GW expected in the next decade and widespread SMR deployment after 2035.
Point Beach units cleared for 80 years of operation
- The US NRC has approved a second licence renewal for Point Beach nuclear units 1 and 2, extending their operation to 80 years.
- Unit 1 will now operate until October 2050 and Unit 2 until March 2053, following a comprehensive environmental and safety review.
- This makes Point Beach one of 13 US nuclear units granted subsequent licence renewals, ensuring continued energy supply and economic contribution to Wisconsin.
Deconstruction of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant buildings nearing completion
- Deconstruction of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, closed since 2014, is nearing completion, with most physical work expected to finish by the end of 2025.
- While the site has been largely decontaminated, concerns remain about residual radiation and PFAS groundwater contamination from a past transformer fire.
- With 58 spent fuel casks still on-site and no federal repository available, debates continue over future waste storage, amid renewed national interest in nuclear energy.