How much more can nuclear power plants give?
In this age of rising electricity demand, people are trying to squeeze every last bit of power out of every power plant possible. Over the past few weeks, there’s been big news about nuclear power plants trying to do just that.
Nuclear power plants in the US are being upgraded to produce more electricity, a process called a power uprate. This involves increasing the reactor’s power output, often by 20% or less, through equipment upgrades and changes to fuel usage. For example, the Browns Ferry plant in Alabama increased its capacity by 14% between 2018 and 2019 with a $475 million investment. Upgrades may include replacing turbines, pumps, or using more highly enriched fuel to generate additional steam, which drives electricity production. While some uprates are minor, involving only adjustments to instruments, major overhauls require significant investment and labor. Between 2001 and 2010, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved over 80 uprates, but this slowed to 33 between 2011 and 2020 due to low electricity demand and competition from cheap natural gas.
In October 2026, Constellation Energy, the largest nuclear operator in the US, announced plans to spend over $4.3 billion upgrading 11 reactors at six plants, adding nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity—enough to power about 700,000 homes. This decision was driven by a 20-year agreement with Google to purchase the additional electricity. Similarly, the US Department of Energy awarded a $4.2 billion loan to Vistra for upgrades at three plants, adding 433 megawatts (MW) of capacity. Meta also signed a long-term deal to buy electricity from these plants. These projects highlight how tech companies are investing in nuclear power to meet rising electricity demand, particularly for data centers. However, uprates remain more expensive per kilowatt than building new solar farms with storage or natural gas plants.
Upgrading existing nuclear reactors is cheaper than building new ones but still costly. For example, Constellation’s uprate project costs less per kilowatt than constructing a new reactor but remains more expensive than new utility-scale solar farms with energy storage or combined-cycle natural gas plants. Despite the high cost, uprates are in high demand due to the urgent need for zero-emissions power. Currently, the US nuclear fleet has about 98 GW of total capacity. Experts estimate between 3 and 8 additional GW could come from uprates, with the NRC expecting applications to add 2.4 GW by 2032. However, this is a fraction of the 30 GW of additional peak demand expected in the PJM grid region (covering much of the East Coast) by 2030 due to AI and data center growth.
The push for nuclear uprates is driven by a surge in electricity demand, particularly from AI and data centers. Companies like Google and Meta are signing long-term contracts to secure clean energy, making uprates financially viable. Additionally, some shuttered plants, such as Palisades and Three Mile Island, are being considered for reopening. While uprates provide a relatively quick way to increase clean energy output, they cannot fully meet future demand. Building new reactors will eventually be necessary to address the growing need for zero-emissions power. For now, maximizing the output of existing plants is seen as a practical and efficient solution in the short term.
The NRC regulates nuclear power plants in the US and approves power uprates. Between 2001 and 2010, it approved over 80 uprates, but this slowed to 33 in the following decade due to economic pressures, including low electricity demand and competition from cheaper natural gas. However, rising demand and tech company investments have revived interest in uprates. The economic viability of uprates depends on long-term contracts with buyers like Google and Meta, as these agreements provide the financial stability needed for such capital-intensive projects. Without these contracts, uprates may not be financially feasible due to high upfront costs.
