In the United States, nuclear power remained the most economical method to produce electricity in 2002

According to a study published by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the103 nuclear reactors generating power in the United States produced the cheapest electricity in 2002.

The average production cost for nuclear energy (fuel and maintenance) was 1.71 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared with 1.85 cents for coal-fired plants, 4.06 cents for gas, and 4.41 cents for oil.