The Shippingport Atomic Power Station in western Pennsylvania became the first commercial nuclear power plant in the United States when it came online in 1958. Since then, nuclear energy has become an integral part of the national power grid. Today, there are 55 commercial nuclear power plants nationwide, and for the last four decades, nuclear reactors have accounted for about 20% of U.S. energy production annually.
Of course, nuclear power plants have limited lifespans. The Shippingport Atomic Powers Station, for example, was shut down in 1982 amid safety concerns. Currently, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC, licenses plants to operate a nuclear reactor for 40 years, afterwhich, plants must apply to extend their license in 20 year increments.
Though the oldest commercial nuclear plant in the United States is long since closed, there are dozens of active plants that have been in operation for decades. (These are the states with the most nuclear power plants.)
Using data from the NRC, 24/7 Wall St. identified the oldest nuclear power plants in the United States. Plants are ranked by the date their oldest active nuclear reactor went online.
It is important to note that nuclear power plants generate electricity often through multiple nuclear reactors that went online at different times. For the purposes of this story, only the oldest active reactor at each plant was considered. (Also see, U.S. wind farms generating the most electricity.)
Partially because of the hazardous nature of nuclear waste, fully decommissioning a nuclear reactor can be a decades-long process. Some of the plants on this list, including the Millstone Power Station in Waterford, Connecticut, and the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Delta, Pennsylvania, have reactors that are older than the date noted. These reactors, however, are no longer active and are in the process of being decommissioned.
Click here to see America’s oldest nuclear power plants
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Source: David_Besse_NPP.jpg: / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
28. Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station
> Start of commercial operations: 7/31/1978
> Electricity production capacity: 894 megawatts
> Location: Oak Harbor, OH (21 mi. ESE of Toledo, OH)
> Operator: Energy Harbor Nuclear Generation LLC and Energy Harbor Nuclear Corp.
[in-text-ad]
27. North Anna Power Station
> Start of commercial operations: 6/6/1978
> Electricity production capacity: 1,892 megawatts
> Location: Mineral, VA (40 mi. NW of Richmond, VA)
> Operator: Virginia Electric & Power Co.
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6D.139 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
26. Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 12/1/1977
> Electricity production capacity: 1,751 megawatts
> Location: Columbia, AL (18 mi. E of Dothan, AL)
> Operator: Southern Nuclear Operating Co.
25. Salem Nuclear Generating Station
> Start of commercial operations: 6/30/1977
> Electricity production capacity: 2,295 megawatts
> Location: Hancocks Bridge, NJ (18 mi. SE of Wilmington, DE)
> Operator: PSEG Nuclear, LLC
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: departmentofenergy / Flickr
24. Brunswick Steam Electric Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 3/18/1977
> Electricity production capacity: 1,870 megawatts
> Location: Southport, NC (20 mi. S of Wilmington, NC)
> Operator: Duke Energy Progress, LLC
23. St. Lucie Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 12/21/1976
> Electricity production capacity: 1,968 megawatts
> Location: Jensen Beach, FL (10 mi. SE of Ft. Pierce, FL)
> Operator: Florida Power & Light Co.
[in-text-ad]
Source: United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
22. Beaver Valley Power Station
> Start of commercial operations: 10/1/1976
> Electricity production capacity: 1,808 megawatts
> Location: Shippingport, PA(17 mi. W of McCandless, PA)
> Operator: Energy Harbor Nuclear Generation LLC and Energy Harbor Nuclear Corp.
21. Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 12/31/1975
> Electricity production capacity: 1,759 megawatts
> Location: Baxley , GA (20 mi. S of Vidalia, GA)
> Operator: Southern Nuclear Operating Co.
Source: departmentofenergy / Flickr
20. Millstone Power Station
> Start of commercial operations: 12/26/1975
> Electricity production capacity: 2,073 megawatts
> Location: Waterford, CT (3.2 mi. WSW of New London, CT)
> Operator: Dominion Energy Nuclear Connecticut, Inc.
[in-text-ad-2]
19. Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 8/28/1975
> Electricity production capacity: 2,177 megawatts
> Location: Bridgman, MI (13 mi. S of Benton Harbor, MI)
> Operator: Indiana Michigan Power Co.
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6D.339 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
18. James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 7/28/1975
> Electricity production capacity: 848 megawatts
> Location: Scriba, NY (6 mi. NE of Oswego, NY)
> Operator: Exelon Generation Co., LLC
[in-text-ad]
17. Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 5/8/1975
> Electricity production capacity: 1,708 megawatts
> Location: Lusby, MD (40 mi. S of Annapolis, MD)
> Operator: Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, LLC
24/7 Wall St.
16. Arkansas Nuclear One
> Start of commercial operations: 12/19/1974
> Electricity production capacity: 1,818 megawatts
> Location: London, AR (6 mi. WNW of Russellville, AR)
> Operator: Entergy Operations, Inc.
Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
15. Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 8/1/1974
> Electricity production capacity: 3,775 megawatts
> Location: Limestone County, AL (10 mi. south of Athens, AL)
> Operator: Tennessee Valley Authority
[in-text-ad-2]
14. Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station
> Start of commercial operations: 7/5/1974
> Electricity production capacity: 2,550 megawatts
> Location: Delta, PA (17.9 mi. S of Lancaster, PA)
> Operator: Exelon Generation Co., LLC
Source: US Army Corps of Engineers (Omaha) / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
13. Cooper Nuclear Station
> Start of commercial operations: 7/1/1974
> Electricity production capacity: 770 megawatts
> Location: Brownville, NE (23 mi. S of Nebraska City, NE)
> Operator: Nebraska Public Power District
[in-text-ad]
12. Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 12/16/1973
> Electricity production capacity: 1,040 megawatts
> Location: Welch, MN (28 mi. SE of Minneapolis, MN)
> Operator: Northern States Power Co. Minnesota
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6B.349 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
11. Oconee Nuclear Station
> Start of commercial operations: 7/15/1973
> Electricity production capacity: 2,554 megawatts
> Location: Seneca, SC (30 mi. W of Greenville, SC)
> Operator: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6D.122 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
10. Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station
> Start of commercial operations: 2/18/1973
> Electricity production capacity: 1,819 megawatts
> Location: Cordova, IL (20 mi. NE of Moline, IL)
> Operator: Exelon Generation Co., LLC
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6D.371 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
9. Surry Power Station
> Start of commercial operations: 12/22/1972
> Electricity production capacity: 1,676 megawatts
> Location: Surry, VA (17 mi. NW of Newport News, VA)
> Operator: Virginia Electric & Power Co.
Source: Lindsey Martin Webb / iStock via Getty Images
8. Turkey Point Nuclear Generating
> Start of commercial operations: 12/14/1972
> Electricity production capacity: 1,698 megawatts
> Location: Homestead, FL (20 mi. S of Miami, FL)
> Operator: Florida Power & Light Co.
[in-text-ad]
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6B.285 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
7. Palisades Nuclear Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 12/31/1971
> Electricity production capacity: 769 megawatts
> Location: Covert, MI (5 mi. S of South Haven, MI)
> Operator: Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
24/7 Wall St.
6. Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 6/30/1971
> Electricity production capacity: 617 megawatts
> Location: Monticello, MN (30 mi. NW of Minneapolis, MN)
> Operator: Northern States Power Company – Minnesota
Source: departmentofenergy / Flickr
5. H. B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 3/7/1971
> Electricity production capacity: 759 megawatts
> Location: Hartsville, SC (26 mi. NW of Florence, SC)
> Operator: Duke Energy Progress, LLC
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6B.370 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
4. Point Beach Nuclear Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 12/21/1970
> Electricity production capacity: 1,201 megawatts
> Location: Two Rivers, WI (13 mi. NNW of Manitowoc, WI)
> Operator: NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6D.299 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
3. R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant
> Start of commercial operations: 7/1/1970
> Electricity production capacity: 581 megawatts
> Location: Ontario, NY (20 mi. NE of Rochester, NY)
> Operator: R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, LLC
[in-text-ad]
2. Dresden Nuclear Power Station
> Start of commercial operations: 6/9/1970
> Electricity production capacity: 1,797 megawatts
> Location: Morris, IL (25 mi. SW of Joliet, IL)
> Operator: Exelon Generation Co., LLC
Source: ENERGY.GOV - HD.6D.338 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1. Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station
> Start of commercial operations: 12/1/1969
> Electricity production capacity: 1,913 megawatts
> Location: Scriba, NY (6 mi. NE of Oswego, NY)
> Operator: Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, LLC
Methodology
To identify the oldest nuclear power plants in the U.S., 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the start dates of commercial operation for nuclear reactors in the United States using data compiled by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Plants are ranked by the date their oldest active nuclear reactor went online.
To compare each power plant’s electricity production capacity, we summed each plant’s reactors’ megawatt electricity (MWe).
Plant names and data are as identified on the license as of August 2022. The next printed update will be in September 2022.
Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With A Financial Advisor (Sponsored)
Take the quiz below to get matched with a financial advisor today.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the
advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future
Take the retirement quiz right here.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
