Total megawatts of U.S. nuclear capacity offline right now (units in outages plus reduced power).
417
MW Offline
Percentage of total fleet capacity currently online and generating power.
99.6%
Fleet Online
Refueling outages scheduled for this season. Each one is a hiring window.
25
Fall 2026 Outages
Units currently at 0% power (likely in an outage or shutdown).
0
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.
1
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.
8
Breaker-to-Breaker
Nuclear NewsNEW Manhattan Project eyed as potential source of high radiation in Western NYNew York state environmental regulators are testing residential properties in Niagara and Erie counties for radioactive contamination. Officials suspect the materials may be linked to Manhattan Project activities or regional industrial waste. Hundreds of residents have requested testing, and some families have relocated after discovering radiation levels exceeding normal background readings. This situation highlights the long-term environmental legacy of early nuclear weapons production and industrial metallurgy. The potential migration of radioactive materials into residential areas underscores the challenges of managing legacy waste sites. Industry observers are monitoring the state response, as the investigation into soil and groundwater contamination may necessitate broader remediation...
Core Content
Core Content
Nuclear NewsNEW An underground nuclear reactor is coming to this Kansas town—and dividing localsNo one has tried operating a commercial one a mile down—until now in Parsons, Kan. “It’s great that it’s here. It’s kind of bad that we’re the guinea pigs,” says one local leader. Read the full article at msn.com :Core Content
Core Content
Nuclear NewsNEW Balancing global uranium enrichment needs and proliferation risks: A frameworkThe United States is shifting its nuclear export policy by pursuing 19 additional 123 agreements by 2028 and supporting civil uranium enrichment in South Korea. This move marks a departure from long-standing efforts to limit the global spread of enrichment technology, which is considered dual-use and capable of producing weapons-grade material. The expansion of enrichment capabilities presents risks regarding the diversion of nuclear material and the potential for states to develop covert military programs. For the nuclear industry, this policy shift creates a tension between competing for glo...Core Content
Core ContentNuclear NewsNEW NN Asks: What have recent projects taught us about the move from analog to digital plant controls?Transitioning to digital instrumentation and control systems requires a fundamental shift in commissioning strategies, moving from physical field verification to software logic validation. By validating internal signals during factory assembly, teams can reduce on-site testing time and avoid redundant checks. Success in these modern environments depends on engineers who can effectively bridge the gap between digital software and traditional hardware requirements. Transitioning in nuclear from the U.S. Navy to the commercial industry was always a goal for me, but stepping directly into a fully digital control room was a paradigm shift. Moving from the tactile, analog world of my military background to the data-rich environment of modern advanced reactors was jarring. Digital systems offer an unprecedented… Commissioning analog plants meant physical verification, such as lifting leads, injecting signals, and manually tweaking potentiometers to calibrate gains and offsets. Digital instrumentation and control (I&C) completely redefines this landscape. Today, nearly all plant data are ava...Core Content
Core Content
Nuclear NewsNEW The Double-Edged Sword of Laser EnrichmentGlobal Laser Enrichment is moving toward commercializing SILEX laser enrichment technology by 2030 to address the domestic uranium supply deficit. This method uses high-powered lasers to separate isotopes, promising lower electricity consumption and a smaller physical footprint than traditional gas centrifuge facilities to support the projected growth of nuclear energy. The compact nature of laser enrichment facilities presents significant nonproliferation challenges, as their small size and low energy signatures make them difficult to detect. Because the technology can be adapted for weapons-...Core Content
Core Content
Nuclear NewsNEW ‘It’ll take more’: CFS nets another $1B to chase nuclear fusion dreamCommonwealth Fusion Systems secured $1 billion in new funding, bringing its total capital raised to $4 billion. The company is currently constructing its SPARC pilot reactor in Massachusetts, which is approximately 80 percent complete. Management expects the facility to begin operations and demonstrate net energy gain by 2027. This investment underscores the high capital requirements for commercializing tokamak-based fusion technology. While the industry aims to provide carbon-free power without the long-lived waste associated with fission, no private firm has yet achieved net energy gain. The...Core Content
Core ContentNuclear NewsNEW NRC addresses NEPA proposed rule in public meetingThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission held a public meeting on July 23 to discuss proposed revisions to its environmental review regulations under 10 CFR Part 51. The agency aims to modernize its NEPA procedures by narrowing the scope of environmental effects and introducing new categorical exclusions for certain licensing actions. These changes seek to align NRC processes with the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 and recent Council on Environmental Quality guidance. By limiting reviews to impacts within the agency's statutory authority and streamlining documentation requirements, the NRC intends to increase regulatory efficiency. The proposal has drawn scrutiny from public interest groups concerned about potential reductions in transparency and opportunities for public participation in the environmental review process. Changes that Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials have labeled as significant could be coming to the agency’s environmental review regulations if its proposed rule on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures moves forward. With notable changes potentially i...Core Content
Core Content
Nuclear NewsNEW Holtec Is The Real DealHoltec International filed an S-1 registration statement with the SEC on July 10 to initiate a public offering. The company currently generates revenue through its established nuclear services and is working toward the restart of the Palisades nuclear plant. This move distinguishes the firm from recent SMR startups that have entered the public market through SPAC mergers without comparable regulatory progress or operational history. This pure-play nuclear company is about to go public. It’s making money, has a promising SMR design, and is close to restarting Palisades. Here's what you need to...Core Content
Core Content
Nuclear NewsNEW GRETA Comes Online for a New Era of Nuclear ScienceThe Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array has completed its commissioning and characterization run at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. The spectrometer uses high-purity germanium detectors to observe atomic nuclei with increased precision. This milestone confirms the system is operational and ready to begin its scheduled research experiments at the facility. This technology allows scientists to track gamma rays emitted by rare isotopes to better understand nuclear structure and behavior. The data collected will refine theoretical models of the atomic nucleus, which are used to support advancemen...Core Content
Core Content
History & TriviaNEW Bizarre new material discovered in Hiroshima bombing debrisResearchers discovered a unique metallic alloy within microscopic debris collected from Hiroshima Bay. The material, composed of iron, chromium, nickel, and other elements, formed a complex cubic lattice structure due to the extreme heat and rapid cooling of the 1945 atomic explosion. This finding provides insight into how high-energy events create substances that do not form under standard thermodynamic conditions. When an atomic bomb detonates, it produces a unique chemical environment that’s nearly impossible to mimic in a lab—and amid its destruction, the explosion can create something completely new. One of... One of the most devastating explosions ever on the planet—the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima—created a metallic material that was never seen before in a lab or nature. Luca Bi...Core Content
Core ContentFallen:Rod HamptonGreat guy and excellent RP. Worked for Duke Energy with the fleet RP Instrument Calibration during the last 10+ years of his career until his passing. He was doing well and went downhill quick, we all hated to see him go. You could always count on Rod for a job well done. We will all miss him. Rest in peace brother! 
RADSLINGER
RADSLINGERGeneralNew Health Physics Calculator Website? Always seemed that Rad Pro Calculator was more than adequate for most of us. It does not answer test questions directly. It does require a basic understanding of RP concepts. those interesting in the Rad Pro Calculator, By Ray McGinnis, for comparison.
Rennhack
Rennhack
Outage NewsFermi 2 trips offline, unscheduled outage underwayFermi 2 began a forced short unscheduled outage on 2026-07-04, ending a 44-day unscheduled-outage-free streak. This event marks the second forced outage for the unit in 2026, following zero forced outages during 2025. The 1,141-MW General Electric BWR/4 is currently the only unit in the fleet in an unscheduled outage. MONROE, MI. Fermi 2 dropped offline on Jul 4, 2026 , beginning an unscheduled outage. The NRC has not yet issued an event notification for this trip; a follow-up reply will be posted here if one is filed. This is the second unscheduled outage of 2026 for the unit. Across the U.S. fleet of 94 commercial reactors, today's combined capacity factor is 98.4% (1 unit in an unscheduled outage), above the 97.8% baseline for this month over the past five years. While the unit is down,...Core Content
Core Content
Outage NewsWatts Bar 2 refuel pulled forward 7 days: now Nov 6The refueling schedule for Watts Bar 2 has been revised to start on 2026-11-06, which is 7 days earlier than the previous start date of 2026-11-13. The scheduled duration for the outage has also been adjusted from 28 days to 29 days. Watts Bar 2 's next refueling outage has been pulled forward by 7 days in the utility's published schedule. The new scheduled start is Nov 6, 2026 , moving from a previous schedule of Nov 13, 2026. Scheduled duration also revised: now 29 days , 1 day longer than the previously scheduled 28. For workers planning to support this outage, the revised window changes th...Core Content
Core Content
Outage NewsWaterford 3 refuel pushed back 17 days: now Oct 17The refueling schedule for Waterford 3 has been revised, moving the start date from September 30, 2026, to October 17, 2026. This adjustment represents a 17-day delay for the beginning of the outage. The planned duration for the event has also been modified, decreasing from 40 days to 25 days. Waterford 3 's next refueling outage has been pushed back by 17 days in the utility's published schedule. The new scheduled start is Oct 17, 2026 , moving from a previous schedule of Sep 30, 2026. Scheduled duration also revised: now 25 days , 15 days shorter than the previously scheduled 40. For workers...Core Content
Core Content
Did You Know NukeWorker Has Online Practice Exams? (Now With Certificates)Here is something a lot of folk...
The NukeWorker Reactor Status MapIf you have ever wanted to know which plants are running, which are down for an outa...
We have recently updated the with over 1,500 new aerial and facility images.Some of the late...
POET: plant-specific PRA inputs, built from the operating recordA new tool on NukeWorker turns the U.S. fleet's...
We've launched a new board, Outage News: a running record of refueling and forced outages across ...
New Feature: RadNet Radiation Map Now OnlineWe're excited to announce a major addition to the Facility Info...
We have updated the "Current Reactor Status" section on our facility information pages ...
🔎 Deep Dive: Everything You Can Track on the Facility Info PagesHey everyone, I've been digging thr...
The Nuclear Grid Capacity & Generation Analysis dashboard provides a centralized interface for monitoring and...
We made a new tool fro you:The Operating Reactor Scram Dashboard is a comprehensive analytical tool designed fo...
I am very excited to announce a major upgrade to the NukeWorker Outage Schedules!We now independently project...
NukeWorker's preliminary schedule for Spring 2027 projects 29 nuclear outages, signaling a high-d...
The Fall 2026 nuclear maintenance season features 25 scheduled outages, with peak workload activity proje...
The Spring 2026 nuclear outage season is underway with 34 scheduled maintenance and refueling outages. View the full schedule at .
We've given the entire quiz section a major facelift to make your study sessions smoother and easier on the eyes.
The NukeWorker Photo Gallery has long been the primary destination for our community to share the history, te...
We've just rolled out a major update to the NukeWorker homepage. While the new "Situation Room&quo...
I split the 'Nuclear Discussions' from the 'Nuclear News' posts on the front page.Enhanced the titl...
I've updated the homepage Job Feed with a few key features designed to make it fairer for employers and easier for ...