Insights—Nuclear Power Plant Locations

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Nuclear power is a hot button issue, not just in the US but across the world. Some believe nuclear is a silver bullet that could solve climate change and lead to unimaginably cheap energy, while others consider its benefits overstated and its risks unthinkable.

Regardless of the energy's potential, many people have strong opinions on whether they want to live near a nuclear power plant. Grisly images of Pripyat and Chernobyl are still fresh in the mind after almost 40 years; some people don't want to risk their home being annihilated in such a way.

Though it's not in our general data, we thought it'd be good, considering some people's level of concern about the issue, to pull together a post regarding nuclear power. The below image, courtesy of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, shows plants' locations across the country.

Here are the insights we can gain from this map:

• The Eastern seaboard is tough: In and around most of America's core large Eastern cities are clustered the bulk of the country's nuclear power plants. This makes sense, because power demand is the highest in these cities. From Georgia all the way up to New Hampshire, there's no state where one can avoid being within 100 miles or so of a plant.
• The two semi-exceptions are Florida and Maine: There are two plants in Southeast Florida but none in the north or west of the state, meaning places like Orlando, Tampa, Daytona Beach, and Palm Coast are nuke-free. Most of Maine besides the southwest corner is also fine.
• The Midwest has a lot: Illinois and Michigan rely heavily on nuclear power. So does Pennsylvania. In most of the Rust Belt, there's a nuclear plant fairly close by.
• The West has very few: There are no nuclear power plants at all in either of the Dakotas, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, or (surprisingly considering its history) New Mexico.
• The West Coast is nearly nuke-free: There are only two nuclear plants in the three Pacific states: one in Eastern Washington (not particularly close to Seattle) and one in San Luis Obispo, California. San Luis Obispo is about equidistant between San Francisco and Los Angeles, meaning it is fairly remote from all the major cities in California. (Though it is close to Bakersfield and Santa Barbara.)

Nuclear power plant distance isn't in our database, but many other factors are. Take our quiz to get paired with cities you'll love!