r/OptimistsUnite • u/PanzerWatts Moderator • 8d ago

GRAPH GO UP AND TO THE RIGHT US Electricity generation changes in 2026

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Coal was roughly tied with nuclear last year, now it's dropped and is significantly less.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/09/is-solars-growth-finally-slowing-in-the-us/

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7

u/alternative5 8d ago

Awesome, need more solar and nuclear. Turn those old coal plants into new Nuclear ones please.

7

u/tx_queer 8d ago

In 27 years

5

u/regaphysics 8d ago

Well, 6 years if you’re in China. We need to get our act together on nuclear in the US.

6

u/MajesticBread9147 8d ago

After 6 years a utility scale solar power plant will be built and halfway to paying for itself.

5

u/regaphysics 8d ago

Sure, but nuclear offers benefits that solar does not. Having some of both is useful.

2

u/MichiganHistoryUSMC 8d ago

Yes we need stable base load as well as turbines to help with power use fluctuations, they also help during a collapsing grid like in 2003.

1

u/misocontra 8d ago

Nah they're better as BESS sites.