From Google:
Why did the US stop building nuclear reactors?
AI Overview
The U.S. slowed and nearly halted building new nuclear power plants primarily due to economics. Massive upfront costs, soaring interest rates in the 1970s, and infamous accidents like Three Mile Island led to cancelled orders. Later attempts, like the Vogtle expansion in Georgia, suffered severe budget overruns and construction delays.
The decline of civilian nuclear expansion in the U.S. traces back to a few intersecting challenges:
Crippling Financial Risks: Nuclear power plants require massive upfront capital, taking years—or even decades—to see a return on investment. According to industry analyses, utilities grew unwilling to shoulder the immense financial risks and ballooning debt associated with these large-scale projects.
The Rise of Cheap Gas: The economic viability of nuclear was dealt a major blow by the shale gas boom. Utilities found it cheaper and faster to build natural gas or renewable energy plants, which reduced electricity prices and squeezed out expensive nuclear construction.
Public Perception & Regulatory Hurdles: Incidents like the Three Mile Island partial meltdown in Pennsylvania and later disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima created widespread public unease. This led to more stringent and costly safety regulations managed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, stretching out build times and adding layers of complexity to new designs.
Complicated Project Management: The U.S. industry historically custom-designed every plant rather than utilizing standardized, assembly-line approaches. This fragmented energy sector, paired with supply chain bottlenecks and contractor bankruptcies, caused projects like Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle to experience significant delays
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