US really needs to increase it's nuclear energy output (i know that current amount is also big, but it needs to be increased). Nuclear is one of the most cleanest forms of energy, and depending on the age of existing coal plants, some of them can even be converted to nuclear.

So an average of 1.032 GW each. If they get up to 1.21 do they go back in time?

I suspect that is just Nuclear Power Plants. There are way more nuclear reactors than that in the US.

and most are pretty old, i think GA is the only state with a new one, SC tried to build new reactors but failed for financial reasons

Here in Ontario, I think we have 16 reactors spread across 3 power plants? And more are purportedly on the way.

The CANDU reactors use heavy water and should, in theory, be safer than light water designs since they can function with unenriched uranium. OTOH the nearest reactor to where I live is in upstate New York and is rather Fukushima-like from what I've heard. Also, I don't know what the new reactors will be, though the provincial gov seems to be pushing SMRs for whatever reason.