The Nuclear Energy Institute has reported that USA's operating nuclear reactors were the lowest cost electricity producers of any source of expandable, baseload electricity in 2002.
Low production costs 780TWh, were recorded in 2002 as a result of stable and competitive supplies of nuclear fuel and power generation.
Production costs averaged 1.71¢/kWh at nuclear power plants in 31 states, while nuclear power production costs were lower than coal-fired power plants 1.85¢/kwh. Natural gas plants recorded 4.06¢/kwh, and oil-fired plants 4.41¢/kWh.
The average fuel cost for nuclear plants in 2002 was 0.45¢/kWh, compared to 1.36¢/kWh for coal and 3.44¢/kWh for natural gas.
