DOE seeks $13 billion to fund loan guarantees for 5 more reactors.

[Statistical]

An additional $13 billion in loan-guarantee authority is needed if the U.S. Department of Energy is to award three more nuclear-power projects, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Wednesday. Sen. Byron Dorgan, (D., N.D.), chairman of the energy appropriations subcommittee, said additional loan-guarantee authority could be added on to other supplemental budget bills in coming weeks and months. If approved by Congress, that could allow two other nuclear-power projects to move ahead.

...

Speaking before a Senate appropriations subcommittee, Chu said an additional $4 billion in authority would help the DOE approve both of those applications, and a further $9 billion in authority would allow it to help finance a third application that could be finished before the end of the 2011 budget cycle. Around $100 million in government money can leverage around $1 billion in loan guarantees.

Senator Mary Landrieu, (D., La.), a member of the energy appropriations subcommittee, said her panel should seek to budget the additional loan-guarantee authority.

...

NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) has applied for a loan for two nuclear reactors in Texas, indicating it would shelve the project without government support. Its main competitor is Constellation Energy Group Inc. (CEG), for a plant in Maryland. In addition, Scana Corp (SCG) is also a finalist for guarantees for a South Carolina project.

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http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/utilities/update-energy-secretary-seeks--billion-nuclear-plant-loan-program/
Sorry about the source. Fox is only one with story up yet. As usual for Fox the story is worded very badly so here is some clarification.

First of all nice two see 2 Democrats (in right posistions) supporting DOE request.

As far as what this means. Currently Vogtle, GA has secured a loan guarantee announced by Obama for 2 reactors - Westinghouse AP1000.

There are a total of 3 other projects which have hit milestones making them eligible for loan guarantee:
NRG - South Texas Project, TX (2 reactors - GE ABWR)
Constellation Energy - Calvert Cliff, MD (1 reactors - Avera EPR)
Scana Corp - VC Summers, SC (2 reactors - Westinghouse AP100)



Essentially the DOE is saying with no new funding they can issue loan guarantee for 1 project. With $4 billion in extra funding they can do 2 of the 3. With $13 billion they can fund all three.

$13 billion would mean a total of 7 reactors could begin construction in the United States in 2011 or 2012!

All together that's 8,900 GW of capacity.
When accounting for capacity factor roughly equal to all installed wind power in the US to date.