Like nuclear power, renewable energy provides electricity without significant carbon dioxide emissions. However, solar and wind require back-up generating capacity due to their intermittent nature.
Bulgaria has one nuclear power plant, Kozloduy, located about 110km north of Sofia.
China has become self-sufficient in most aspects of the fuel cycle. The country aims to produce one-third of its uranium domestically, obtain one-third through foreign equity in mines and joint ventures overseas, and to purchase one-third on the open market.
Namibia has significant uranium mines capable of providing 10% of world mining output. Its first commercial uranium mine began operating in 1976. There is strong government support for expanding uranium mining and some interest in using nuclear power.
US Uranium Mining and Exploration. Uranium mining in the USA today is undertaken by few companies on a relatively small scale. Uranium exploration is undertaken by many companies, often going over areas that were mined in the 1950-80s.
The Netherlands has one nuclear reactor generating a small amount of its electricity. A previous decision to phase out nuclear power has been reversed. Public and political support is increasing for expanding nuclear energy.
Canada was the world's largest uranium producer for many years, accounting for about 22% of world output, but in 2009 was overtaken by Kazakhstan. Canada will have a significant role in meeting future world demand for uranium.
Nuclear Power in the USA Appendix 2: Power Plant Purchases, Mergers and Management Rationalisation
Substantial amounts have been invested in energy R&D over the last 30 years, much directed at developing nuclear energy. Nowhere in the world is nuclear power subsidised per unit of production. In some countries however it is taxed because production costs are so low.
Most of the commercial nuclear power reactors in the world today require uranium 'enriched' in the U-235 isotope for their fuel. The commercial process employed for this enrichment involves gaseous uranium hexafluoride in centrifuges.
California has a large and growing population and a flourishing economy, with a major high-technology sector. Electricity demand has been rising steadily for many years. In 2000-01 there was an acute electricity supply crisis, triggered by several factors. In 2020 there was another supply crisis.
Australia's Uranium Deposits and Prospective Mines. Summary of Resources Available in Major Deposits and Prospective Mines
Reactor operators have taken steps to protect their workforce and have implemented business continuity plans to ensure the continuing functioning of key aspects of their businesses. Nuclear technologies are also being used to detect and fight the Covid-19 coronavirus.
A major increase in uranium mine production is planned. There is increasing international involvement in parts of Russia's fuel cycle. Exports are a major Russian policy and economic objective.
Turkey has had plans for establishing nuclear power generation since 1970. The country's first nuclear power plant, at Akkuyu, commenced construction in April 2018.
The USA's reactors provide about 18% of its electricity. These have a high level of performance.
France derives about 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy. This is due to a long-standing policy based on energy security. France is the world's largest net exporter of electricity due to its very low cost of nuclear generation.
Armenia has relied heavily on nuclear power since 1976. It has one reactor in operation and the government plans to build another.
Niger has two significant uranium mines providing about 5% of world mining output from Africa's highest-grade uranium ores. Niger's first commercial uranium mine began operating in 1971.
China has become largely self-sufficient in reactor design and construction, as well as other aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle. The strong impetus for nuclear power in China is increasingly due to air pollution from coal-fired plants.
The 2023 edition of The World Nuclear Supply Chain presents a market-oriented assessment of the outlook for the nuclear industry
South Africa has two nuclear reactors generating 5% of its electricity. South Africa's first commercial nuclear power reactor began operating in 1984. Government commitment to the future of nuclear energy has been strong, but financial constraints are severe.
Potable water is in short supply in many parts of the world. Lack of it is set to become a constraint on development in some areas. Nuclear energy is already being used for desalination, and has the potential for much greater use.
A detailed list of the multitude of companies and organisations involved in China's nuclear energy scene.
Over 160 ships are powered by more than 200 small nuclear reactors. Most are submarines, but they range from icebreakers to aircraft carriers. In future, constraints on fossil fuel use in transport may bring marine nuclear propulsion into more widespread use.
National and regional grid systems connecting generators with wholesale customers are just as important as electrical power generation. Investment in these is often on a similar scale to generation capacity.
Kazakhstan has 14% of the world's uranium resources. It is the world's leading uranium producer. The government is committed to increased uranium exports, and is considering future options for nuclear power.
Lithuania closed its last nuclear reactor, which had been generating 70% of its electricity, at the end of 2009. Electricity was a major export until the closure of Lithuania's nuclear plant.
Australia's Electricity (appendix to: Australia's Uranium, and nuclear power prospects). Australia is heavily dependent on coal for electricity, more so than any other developed country except Denmark and Greece. About 80% is derived from coal.
Most of the current fleet of reactors in the UK is due to retire by 2030. Construction has commenced on the first of a new generation of plants.
Vietnam has considered establishing nuclear power generation since 1995, and firm proposals surfaced in 2006. In November 2016 these plans were cancelled.
Hydrogen is widely seen as a future transport fuel. Nuclear energy can be used to make hydrogen electrolytically, and in the future high-temperature reactors are likely to be used to make it thermochemically.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has impacted the country's nuclear power facilities. This page provides a summary of the latest developments.
There are three operating uranium mines in Australia: Ranger in Northern Territory, Olympic Dam in South Australia, and Beverley with Four Mile in South Australia. Four Mile has final processing through the Beverley plant.
Australia's uranium has been mined since 1954, and three mines are currently operating. Australia's known uranium resources are the world's largest – 29% of the world total. It is the world's third-ranking producer, behind Kazakhstan and Canada.
World Nuclear Association and The Department of Physics in the Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies formalized a strategic partnership to donate Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century by Ian Hore-Lacy to selected secondary schools across Jamaica.
Pakistan has six operating reactors. Because Pakistan is outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty due to its weapons programme, it is largely excluded from trade in nuclear plant or materials, which hinders its development of civil nuclear energy.
About 30 countries are actively considering, planning or starting nuclear power programmes.
Radioactive material accounts for a very small proportion of all dangerous material shipped each year. About 20 million consignments of radioactive material are transported each year on public roads, railways, and ships.
Japan has a full nuclear fuel cycle set-up, including enrichment and reprocessing of used fuel for recycle. Nuclear energy has been a national strategic priority since 1973.
Electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles which are able to be charged from mains power have potential to greatly increase the demand for base-load power from grid systems. Development of these depends critically on battery technology.
Fuel fabrication is the final stage in nuclear fuel preparation prior to use in a reactor. Nuclear fuel assemblies are specifically designed for particular types of reactors and are made to exacting standards.
Rock phosphate deposits contain many million tonnes of uranium, which may be extracted as a by-product of making fertilizers. The process because uneconomic in the 1990s, but process improvements and higher U prices may change this.
The USA is reviving its uranium mining, though almost all the uranium used in US commercial reactors is imported. A new centrifuge enrichment plant is now operating to replace very old and inefficient capacity. Implementation of national policy on high-level waste disposal remains blocked politically, but there are now two major proposals for long-term storage of it.
Issues Paper Three – Electricity generated from nuclear fuels. Submission from the World Nuclear Association to the South Australian Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission (August 2015)
The science of atomic radiation, atomic change and nuclear fission was developed from 1895 to 1945. From 1945 attention was given to harnessing this energy in a controlled fashion for naval propulsion and for making electricity.
A surge in new nuclear plants coming online is helping reduce emissions and meet electricity demand, but much more is needed to achieve a sustainable energy mix, said Agneta Rising, speaking on the opening day of Atomexpo 2018.
The world’s first AP1000 power reactor (developed by US-based Westinghouse) was connected to the grid at Sanmen in China and generated electricity for the first time on Saturday 30th June. This came a day after the world’s first EPR (developed by France’s Framatome) was connected at Taishan, also in China. The official start of electricity production from these two advanced reactors marks the beginning of a new chapter for the global nuclear industry. It is also a proud day for China’s burgeoning nuclear sector and testimony to the rich benefits of international cooperation in nuclear innovation.
Germany until March 2011 obtained one-quarter of its electricity from nuclear energy, using 17 reactors. Following the Fukushima accident in Japan in March 2011, eight reactors shut down immediately with the remaining reactors phased out by April 2023.
Global nuclear generation capacity is set to grow from today's 379 GWe to 552 GWe by 2035, according to the reference scenario of the World Nuclear Association Nuclear Fuel Report.
The EU depends on nuclear power for more than one-quarter of its electricity, and a higher proportion of base-load power. Nuclear provides about 40% of the low-carbon electricity. Very different energy policies pertain across the continent and even within the EU.
Burning coal without adding to global carbon dioxide levels is a major technological challenge. The greatest challenge is bringing the cost of capture and storage technology down sufficiently for 'clean coal' to compete with nuclear power.
Burning coal without adding to global carbon dioxide levels is a major technological challenge. The greatest challenge is bringing the cost of capture and storage technology down sufficiently for 'clean coal' to compete with nuclear power.
Energoatom and US firm Westinghouse have signed an agreement to increase from five to nine the number of planned new AP1000 reactors for Ukraine
Germany's Energiewende (energy transition) is a national program to change to a renewable-dominated energy system and phase out nuclear power. The government has estimated that the total cost of this could reach €1 trillion.
Decommissioning costs for nuclear power plants, including disposal of associated wastes, contribute only a small fraction of the total cost of electricity generation. Proven techniques and equipment are available to dismantle nuclear facilities.
India has a largely indigenous nuclear power programme and has ambitious plans to expand nuclear capacity. The country has a vision of becoming a world leader in nuclear technology due to its expertise in fast reactors and thorium fuel cycle.
Whereas carbon dioxide emissions associated with nuclear power generation are negligible, emissions from fossil fuel power plants are considerable – resulting in environmental and health consequences.
A large amount of uranium is in rare earths deposits, and may be extracted as a by-product. Higher uranium prices and geopolitical developments would enhance the economic potential for recovering these.
Uranium was produced from the Dornod deposit in Mongolia by Russian interests to 1995. Mongolia has substantial known uranium resources and geological prospectivity for more. Since 2008 Russia has re-established its position in developing Mongolian uranium.
Production from world uranium mines has in recent years supplied 90% of the requirements of power utilities. Primary production from mines is supplemented by secondary supplies, principally by ex-military material.
Brexit is a matter of the utmost importance to both the UK nuclear sector (as represented by the UK NIA) and the broader European nuclear sector (as represented by FORATOM), but it will also likely require action from global partners.
Molten salt reactor use molten fluoride salts as primary coolant, at low pressure. Much of the interest today in reviving the MSR concept relates to using thorium (to breed fissile uranium-233).
There are 25 reactors operating in South Korea, providing more than a quarter of the country's electricity.
This report is the first in the series on Defence-in-Depth and Diversity, and builds upon the work carried out in the series of reports on Safety Classification for I&C Systems in Nuclear Power Plants
Poland plans to have nuclear power from about 2036 as part of a diverse energy portfolio, moving it away from heavy dependence on coal.
Electricity is essential for modern life, yet almost one billion people live without access to it. Challenges such as climate change, pollution and environmental destruction require that we change the way we generate electricity.
Radioisotope power sources have been an important source of energy in space since 1961. Fission power sources have been used mainly by Russia, but new and more powerful designs are under development in the USA.
Russia is moving steadily forward with plans for an expanded role of nuclear energy, including development of new reactor technology. Exports of nuclear goods and services are a major Russian policy and economic objective.
Sweden has announced it will phase out its nuclear capacity tax. Agneta Rising, Director General, World Nuclear Association said, “It is excellent news that this tax will be removed, but it should never have been implemented in such a way as to distort the market and put at risk the operation of Sweden’s nuclear power plants, which provide affordable and reliable electricity and form a vital part of its low carbon generation mix.”
Climate change is a worldwide problem and policy responses have accordingly had an international basis; the principal focus has been on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Life-cycle analysis is useful for comparing net energy yields from different methods of electricity generation. Nuclear power shows up very well as a net provider of energy. External costs, evaluated as part of life-cycle assessment, strongly favour nuclear over coal-fired generation.
World Nuclear Association launches a special update to its 2016 World Nuclear Performance Report focusing on developments in Asia.
Fusion power offers the prospect of an almost inexhaustible source of energy for future generations, but it also presents so far unresolved engineering challenges.
South Korea is among the world's most prominent nuclear energy countries, and exports its technology widely. Today 26 reactors provide about one-third of South Korea's electricity from 26 GWe of plant.
Nineteen reactors operate at four plants in southeast Canada,
Reprocessing of Japanese used fuel has been undertaken in UK and France under contract with Japanese utilities. Recovered fissile materials are returned to Japan as reactor fuel, notably as mixed oxide (MOX) fuel.
An overview of key global results.
Climate change is a worldwide problem and policy responses have accordingly had an international basis; the principal focus has been on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Acknowledgements, definitions and assumptions.
Over one-third of the energy produced in most nuclear power plants comes from plutonium. It is created there as a by-product. Plutonium has occurred naturally, but except for trace quantities it is not now found in the Earth's crust.
Energy storage on a large scale has become a major focus of attention and research as intermittent renewable energy has become more prevalent.
Energy storage on a large scale has become a major focus of attention and research as intermittent renewable energy has become more prevalent.
Public opinion is an important consideration for governments and policy-makers. This page provides information about polling of public opinion on nuclear energy.
Bangladesh plans to have two large Russian nuclear power reactors in operation in the 2020s. This is to meet rapidly-increasing demand and reduce dependence on natural gas.
Australian Research Reactors, Australia has a new state of the art research reactor – OPAL, which commenced operation in 2006. Australia was one of the first countries to build a civil research reactor, in 1958. HIFAR produced most of Australia’s radioisotopes for medicine and industry from 1958 to 2007.
Radiation occurs naturally and comes from sources all around us, including our own bodies. Radiation is often misunderstood, but helps save lives and cure disease
The latest edition of the World Nuclear Performance Report has been published. The world’s nuclear reactors made a growing contribution to supplying clean and reliable electricity in 2018.
Worldwide nuclear generation in 2018 increased for the sixth successive year, reaching 2563 TWh. This is more than 10% of global electricity demand.
Atomic Canyon has announced a new project with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Uzbekistan has considerable mineral deposits, including uranium. Today, most uranium is mined in the middle of the country, with Navoi as the centre, linked to mines by railway.
Construction of two small and two large Russian reactors is planned.
Japan needs to import some 90% of its energy requirements. Nuclear energy has been a national strategic priority since 1973. Following the 2011 Fukushima accident this policy was reviewed and reaffirmed.
World Nuclear Association launches its report providing key metrics on nuclear power plant performance and reviewing recent developments in the global nuclear industry.
Following many years of construction, Iran's first nuclear power reactor started up in 2011. Two further large Russian-designed units are planned, the first of which commenced construction in November 2019. The country also has a major programme developing uranium enrichment, and this was concealed for many years.