USNIC Update

Office of Nuclear Energy

DOE Study Finds Replacing Coal Plants with Nuclear Plants Could Bring Hundreds More Local Jobs and Millions in Added Income and Revenue to Energy Communities

APRIL 1, 2024

DOE Releases Information Guide for Communities

Exploring Coal-to-Nuclear Transitions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released an information guide for communities considering replacing their retired or retiring coal power plants with nuclear power plants. The guide is based on a technical study that found transitioning from a coal plant to a nuclear one would create additional higher paying jobs at the plant, create hundreds of additional jobs locally, and spur millions of dollars in increased revenues and economic activity in the host community. Importantly, it also found that, with planning and support for training, most workers at an existing coal plant should be able to transition to work at a replacement nuclear plant.

Coal-to-nuclear transitions could dramatically increase the supply of reliable, clean electricity to the grid and make progress toward the nation’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

“As we work to transition to a net-zero economy, it’s absolutely essential that we provide resources to energy communities and coal workers who have helped our nation’s energy system for decades,” said Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff. “This is a core promise of the Biden-Harris Administration: to deliver place-based solutions and ensure an equitable energy transition that does not leave energy communities behind.”

This information guide builds on DOE’s 2022 study that found hundreds of U.S. coal power plant sites across the country could be converted to nuclear power plant sites. DOE’s information guide offers communities a high-level look at the economic impacts, workforce transition considerations, and policy and funding information relevant to a coal-to-nuclear transition. It also provides utilities a brief overview of considerations to be aware of such as power requirements, project scope and timeline, and infrastructure reuse.

Read more about DOE's work to support coal-to-nuclear transitions here. This information guide is a companion piece to DOE’s Stakeholder Guidebook for Coal-to-Nuclear Conversions. Readers can refer to this guidebook for an in-depth, technical analysis of topics covered in the information guide.  

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