Total megawatts of U.S. nuclear capacity offline right now (units in outages plus reduced power).
1,201
MW Offline
Percentage of total fleet capacity currently online and generating power.
98.8%
Fleet Online
Refueling outages scheduled for this season. Each one is a hiring window.
24
Fall 2026 Outages
Units currently at 0% power (likely in an outage or shutdown).
1
Units Offline
Units operating between 1-99% power (excluding known startups or coastdowns).
3
Reduced Power
Units nearing the end of their fuel cycle, gradually lowering power before an outage.
4
Coastdown
Units increasing power following an outage or scram.
0
Starting Up
Units on a qualifying Breaker-to-Breaker run: continuous operation exceeding their cycle-adjusted threshold with no trips to 0% power.
12
Breaker-to-Breaker
Nuclear NewsNEW Inertia Enterprises finds a way to make its fusion fuel fastInertia Enterprises has reduced the production time for fusion fuel pellets from one week to approximately three hours. The startup developed this manufacturing process through a public-private partnership with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This advancement addresses a primary barrier to scaling fusion technology from laboratory experiments to commercial power generation. Commercial fusion plants require a high volume of fuel pellets to operate continuously, with Inertia projecting a need for ten pellets per second. By accelerating production and reducing the required tritium inventory, the company aims to lower operational costs and safety risks associated with handling radioactive isotopes. These manufacturing efficiencies are intended to support the development of a viable...
Nuclear NewsNEW Connecting the power of the stars to geometry: PPPL tests an innovative fusion system concept that cResearchers at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory are utilizing the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade to evaluate the efficiency of spherical tokamak designs. This device features a cored apple shape that allows for higher plasma pressure and improved stability compared to traditional doughnut-shaped reactors. The project aims to determine if compact fusion reactors can lower construction costs by reducing the volume of steel and concrete required for plant infrastructure. By testing plasma confinement and magnetic field efficiency, the facility provides a platform for private a...
Nuclear NewsNEW 200,000 Barrels of Radioactive Waste Under the SeaStill no Godzilla. 8) 200,000 Barrels of Radioactive Waste Under the Sea
Nuclear NewsNEW Kairos Power, others launch NuCAMP to develop nuclear workforceKairos Power has partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, regional universities, and trade schools to establish the Nuclear Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Precast. This initiative aims to develop specialized training programs and career pathways for nuclear construction, including welding, additive manufacturing, and precast concrete production. The collaboration will undergo a 12-month exploratory phase to define curriculum and manufacturing standards for future reactor deployment. As Kairos Power’s high-temperature, fluoride salt–cooled reactor facilities in Oak Ridge, Tenn., tak...
Nuclear NewsNEW Zeno RHU will aim to survive lunar nightZeno Power will provide an americium-241 radioisotope heating unit for a Firefly Aerospace lunar mission scheduled for 2028. The unit is designed to maintain thermal control for spacecraft components during the lunar night. Zeno is currently evaluating production options for the device, including its facility at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center, to support future government and commercial space exploration requirements. As established by a commercial payload agreement, a radioisotope heating unit (RHU) developed by Zeno Power will be onboard one of Firefly Aerospace’s existing Blue Ghost missions...
Nuclear NewsNEW NRC opens, defines hearing opportunity for Orano’s Project IkeThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission has opened a 60-day window for public hearing requests regarding Orano Enrichment USA’s application for the Project Ike facility in Tennessee. The commission intends to consolidate the licensing process by potentially skipping a separate uncontested hearing if a contested hearing occurs, aiming to complete reviews within 315 days. This procedural shift tests the agency's interpretation of Section 193 of the Atomic Energy Act, which mandates specific adjudicatory requirements for enrichment facilities. Commissioner Matthew J. Marzano dissented, arguing the move...
Nuclear NewsNEW Healey plans nuclear energy summitMassachusetts Governor Maura Healey will host a regional summit on September 30 at the University of Massachusetts Lowell to discuss the integration of advanced nuclear and fusion energy. The event brings together New England governors and industry experts to evaluate the potential for these technologies to support the regional power grid. This summit aligns with a broader regional commitment to maintain existing nuclear capacity while exploring future energy sources. As New England states coordinate on grid reliability and decarbonization, the discussions will address regulatory frameworks, p...
Nuclear NewsNEW LIS Technologies Commences Initial Technical Feasibility and Environmental Characterization InitiatiLIS Technologies has initiated environmental assessments and technical feasibility studies at its 206-acre site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This work supports the development of the proposed LEU-3 facility, which aims to utilize laser-based isotope separation technology. The company plans to establish a commercial uranium enrichment campus on the former K-25 site. The project represents a $1.38 billion investment intended to expand domestic nuclear fuel production capabilities. By pursuing laser enrichment, the company seeks to provide an alternative to traditional centrifuge and gas diffusion me...
Nuclear NewsNEW Apollo Atomics wants to make nuclear power cheaper by shrinking an overlooked partApollo Atomics has secured $26 million in seed funding to develop a compact steam generator for nuclear reactors. The startup aims to replace large, hand-built components with mass-manufactured units that utilize needle-thin channels for heat transfer. This design shift intends to reduce reactor size by 40 times and lower electricity costs. The company plans to utilize factory assembly to shorten construction timelines to under 24 months for 300-megawatt plants. By focusing on the steam generator, Apollo seeks to improve thermal conversion efficiency and compete directly with natural gas prici...
Clean HumorNEW 8 armsIf you hold a baby octopus to your ear, you can hear the aquaruium employee telling you to put it back.it wuz a copee n paste.
Fallen:NEW Michael D HargisMichael D. Hargis, a RCT, Radcon Supervisor, and Emergency Management at the Idaho Cleanup Project at the Idaho National Laboratory passed August 13, 2026. He was a great coworker and will be missed. His obituary is at
Site NewsEvery Outage Finally Has a NameEvery Outage Finally Has a Name If you have worked an outage, you know it has a name. Nobody at the tool crib says "the spring outage at Catawba." They say C1R28 . It is on the badge, on the schedule, on the coffee cup somebody had printed.For years, right here on NukeWorker, every one of those outages was a date range and a colored bar. "Catawba 1, March 2026." Technically true. Totally soulless. That bugged me. So we went and got the names. The hunt Here is the thing nobody tells you: there is no master list. Nowhere can you download a tidy file where some kind soul has written down that Tur...
Outage NewsNEW Saint Lucie 1 trips offline, unscheduled outage underwaySaint Lucie 1 began an unscheduled forced short outage on August 14, 2026. This event ended a streak of 635 days without an unscheduled outage at the 981-MW Combustion Engineering pressurized water reactor. This forced outage is the first for the unit in 2026, following a year in 2025 with zero forced outages. Florida Power and Light operates this unit along with three other nuclear units in the United States. Across the industry, 94 units are currently operating at a 97.8 percent capacity factor, with Saint Lucie 1 and Monticello as the only two units in unscheduled outages. The next planned refueling for Saint Lucie 1 is expected next spring. FT. PIERCE, FL. Saint Lucie 1 entered an unscheduled outage on Aug 14, 2026 . The NRC has not yet issued an event notification for this trip; a fol...
Outage NewsMonticello trips offline, unscheduled outage underwayMonticello entered an unscheduled forced short outage on August 10, 2026, ending a 130-day streak of outage-free operation. This event marks the second forced outage for the 617-MW General Electric BWR/3 unit during the 2026 calendar year. The unit, which has been in commercial operation since 1971, recorded four forced outages throughout 2025. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota operates this facility along with two other U.S. nuclear units. Across the industry today, 94 units are maintaining a 97.9 percent capacity factor, with this unit currently representing the only facility in an unsche...
Outage NewsRiver Bend 1 trips offline, unscheduled outage underwayRiver Bend 1 began an unscheduled forced short outage on August 1, 2026. This event ended a streak of 256 days of operation without an unscheduled outage at the 968-MW General Electric BWR/6 facility. The unit has recorded one forced outage so far in 2026, compared to four forced outages during the 2025 calendar year. Entergy Louisiana operates this unit and one other nuclear unit in the United States. Across the industry, the current fleet capacity factor is 98.6 percent among 94 units, with one unit currently in an unscheduled outage and zero units in refueling. The facility has been in comm...









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