Are nuclear power plants expensive to run?
Most nuclear plants are very economical, with average production costs lower than costs at coal-fired power plants and much lower than those at gas- and oil-fired plants. The average electricity production cost in 2008 for nuclear energy was 1.87 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared to 2.75 cents at coal-, 8.09 cents for gas-, and 17.26 cents at oil-fired plants.
Most nuclear plants are very economical, with average production costs slightly lower than costs at coal-fired power plants and much lower than those at oil- and gas-fired plants. The average electricity production cost in 2003 for nuclear energy was 1.72 cents per kilo-watt-hour, compared to 1.80 cents at coal-fired plants, 5.53 cents for oil, and 5.77 cents at gas-fired plants.
