USA rakentaa ydinvoimaa

In September 2007, NRG Energy filed a proposal with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a nuclear power plant in Texas. Last month, NuStart, a nuclear consortium, also filed an application. These represent the leading edge of a wave of renewed interest in domestic nuclear energy.

"We are expecting an additional three (applications) before the end of this calendar year," said Scott Burnell, an NRC spokesman, who said another 16 applications, some for multiple power plants, are likely by the end of 2009. "If all of these applications were approved, we would end up with a total of 32 new reactors in the United States," Burnell said.

Currently 104 reactors are spread across the United States -- approximately 20 percent of domestic-energy output. Assuming all goes well, the first plants could come online as early as 2015, according to Burnell.
Analysts also point out that American's energy demands continue to soar at a rate of 50 to 60 gigawatts each year, and there is no easy answer to America's constantly growing thirst for energy.

"You can't build wind and solar fast enough and their inherent production profiles are different enough such that you can't use them for base-load generation," said Michael Carboy, an analyst with Signal Hill.