Nuclear Power Making Inroads against Coal, Oil

The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency has documented 435 operating nuclear reactors world wide, providing hope that nuclear power will eventually replace coal and oil based energy systems. With 103 nuclear reactors, the United States has the most reactors. France follows the US with 59 reactors, Japan's 55 reactors and the Russian Federation's 31 reactors rounding out the top. In addition to the currently operating nuclear reactors, there are 29 under construction internationally. Currently, there are nuclear expansion programs in Ukraine, Bulgaria, Finland and France.

The IAEA reports that the average growth of nuclear power is expected to jump 2.5 per cent, or 679 gigawatts, by 2030. Seventy-eight per cent of electricity in France, who plans to begin construction on a new plant later this year, is provided by nuclear reactors, but only two per cent of China's electric power is supplied through nuclear reactors. The report did point out that China's energy needs are rapidly expanding and that the country is exploring all energy sources,including nuclear power. There are four nuclear reactors under construction in China, but because of the country's massive population growth, that will still only provide four per cent of China's electric power. Other countries planning significant growth include Japan and South Korea, which already gets 39 per cent of its power from nuclear.

Most of the current nuclear power construction is in Asia. India gets only 3 per cent of its power from nuclear reactors, but 25 per cent of the current nuclear construction is in the country. India has set a goal of 10 per cent of electricity from nuclear by 2022 and 26 percent by 2052.

The United States gets 19 per cent of its electricity from nuclear, and most of its development plans have centered around increasing capacity at pre-existing nuclear facilities, but there are four Early Site Permit applications under review by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The United Kingdom also uses a significant amount of nuclear power, but many of the country's 19 nuclear reactors are aging facilities with uncertain futures. However, the government has issued a White Paper reinforcing its position that the advantages greatly outweigh the disadvantages of nuclear power.

Nuclear power use has remained largely stable since jumping from one per cent in 1960 to 16 per cent in 1986. While the global use of electricity continues to rise, only 15 per cent of total electricity is generated through nuclear reactors.

Source: UN International Atomic Energy Agency Press Release