In this analysis, the Atlantic Council estimates the value that the civilian nuclear power sector contributes to the United States’ national security apparatus. Based on a series of inputs, this analysis and conservative estimation finds that the nuclear power complex contributes an equivalent of more than $42.4 billion to US national security, as broadly defined. In other words, the lack of a civilian nuclear sector would present an immediate and significant economic shock (and impact on the labor force)—which, in turn, would have immediate and longer-term budgetary implications for the US government.

This issue brief was launched on October 15, 2019, during a roundtable discussion to discuss the role of nuclear energy innovation in the civilian-military nexus, as part of the Council’s Nuclear Energy and National Security Coalition (NENSC). 

Image: The crew of the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Indiana (SSN 789) salute after bringing the ship to life during the boat’s commissioning ceremony in Port Canaveral, Florida, September 29, 2018 (photo by US Navy, Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Leah Stiles/Flickr).