CERPA Releases Final Paper in Nuclear White Paper Series Covering Electricity Generation
Published July 31, 2025
The Center for Energy Regulation and Policy Analysis (CERPA) in the School of Energy Resources (SER) released the last installment in its nuclear white paper series exploring and evaluating the components of a domestic integrated nuclear industry.
Authored by Alex Gebben and Daniel Cooley, energy economists in the UW Center for Business and Economic Analysis, the sixth and final paper examines the challenges and opportunities of fostering a nuclear electricity generation sector in Wyoming.
The analysis uses an input-output economic model to project the economic benefits under various scenarios of nuclear plant installation by 2050, considering factors such as nuclear technology innovation, costs of alternative energy sources, and broader macroeconomic trends.
The report further highlights that Wyoming could see significant economic benefits, including job creation and tax revenue, if there’s a general increase in U.S. nuclear capacity.
“Our report evaluates the economic potential of developing a nuclear electricity generation sector in Wyoming, identifying both the unique challenges and opportunities,” says Gebben. “While there’s potential for constructing additional nuclear reactors in the state, this growth is somewhat constrained by the current low cost of alternative energy resources. From an economic perspective, it will be interesting to see how nuclear-generated electricity establishes itself in Wyoming’s energy mix, and how it will shape the market dynamics moving forward.”
Overall, the paper concludes that Wyoming is well-positioned to expand its nuclear reactor capacity, provided economic conditions favor the broader growth of the nuclear sector.
“We are delighted to conclude the nuclear series with this report,” says CERPA Director Matt Fry. “Nuclear electricity generation utilizing emerging technologies is a much-anticipated opportunity for the State of Wyoming and the Nation. We are excited to see its real-world benefits within the next few years.”
Prior papers in the series explore the feasibility of uranium enrichment, uranium recovery, nuclear component manufacturing, heat applications, and spent fuel storage and recycling.
To download the paper, corresponding research brief, or other papers in the series, visit the website here.
