The near-term future of nuclear power projects in the U.S. may hinge on Georgia's new units at nuclear plant Vogtle, which is estimated to cost over $30 billion. This episode explores cost concerns related to nuclear fission from a public service commission perspective, methods to uprate existing nuclear plants, and my perception of risk comparing small modular reactors (SMRs) versus conventional nuclear plant projects in the face of Vogtle's cost overruns.

Sources:

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission List of Approved Uprated Nuclear Units.
• IEA article on 'Repurposing Fossil Fuel Power Plant Sites with SMRs to Ease Clean Energy Transition' published in 2022.
• Southern Company Annual Report to Investors for the year 2022, published February 2023.