How Many Nuclear Power Plants Are In The US?

Nuclear power is not without its downsides, but it's generally considered a relatively clean and efficient way of generating power, especially compared to traditional fossil fuels. Many countries have adopted nuclear power since it first became a reality in the mid-1950s, but the undisputed leader in this regard is the United States.

As of early 2025, there were 54 nuclear power plants in the U.S., the most in the world. These 54 plants have 94 reactors between them and a total capacity of 97 GW. Twenty-eight states, all in the continental U.S., have nuclear power plants, and they supply about 19% of the nation's power according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Illinois leads the way, with EIA data from November 2025 indicating that its six plants (and 11 reactors) generate 7,642 mWh of electricity, more than half of the state's total power generation. Other states big on nuclear power include Pennsylvania, with 5,943 mWh, and Georgia, which generates 4,603 mWh from its nuclear plants.

Georgia also has the largest nuclear plant in the U.S., Plant Vogtle. Plant Vogtle first opened in 1987 with a single reactor, and brought its fourth reactor online in March 2024. This fourth reactor brought the plant's total capacity up to around 4,800 megawatts, putting it ahead of Arizona's Palo Verde nuclear power station.

The United States may be the world leader when it comes to nuclear power plants and capacity, but it's not the only country to have invested significantly in nuclear power. Based on data from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the top five nations after the U.S., in order, are France, China, Russia, and South Korea.

Second-placed France has 57 reactors capable of an impressive 63 GW, although the nation has had trouble keeping all of its reactors online in recent years. In 2022, for example, its reactors were offline for 8,515 days in total, while a 2025 incident saw the Gravelines nuclear plant shut down because jellyfish entered its cooling system. China's 58 reactors generate 56.45 GW of electricity, although that number will likely increase in the future after the government approved the construction of 11 reactors in August 2024.

While France and China are neck-and-neck, the numbers drop quite significantly when we get to the final couple of countries in the top five. IAEA data indicates Russia makes 26.77 GW of electricity from 33 reactors, a hair ahead of South Korea's 25.61 GW from 26 reactors. It's worth noting that Japan has the world's largest nuclear power plant, despite not being in the top five. That said, it's uncertain whether its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant will ever return to its former glory — especially since authorities had to shut the plant down just one day after reopening in January 2026.