Global Nuclear Power Development: Major Expansion Continues

Global Nuclear Power Development: Major Expansion Continues (13 pages)

The Nuclear Energy Institute has a white paper that reviews the current status and the plans for nuclear power

China’s government has plans to increase nuclear incrementally—80 GW by 2020, 200 GW by 2030 and 400 GW by 2050.

India is working to extend electrification to 400 million citizens without access to power. Currently coal provides almost 60 percent of India’s electricity. India is developing fast breeder reactors and is at the forefront of developing a thorium-based reactor fuel cycle (thorium is abundant in India). Today India has 20 operating commercial reactors supplying 3 per-cent of its electricity and six reactors under construction, including one prototype 500 MW fast breeder reactor. India’s ambitious plans to expand nuclear energy use include 17 reactors planned and possibly 40 plants proposed for longer term development; these numbers are eclipsed only by China’s nuclear construction plans.

South Korea has 21 operating reactors that supply nearly one-third of the country’s electricity. Five reactors are under construction and South Korea plans to continue to add reactors to achieve its goal of generating 60 percent of its electricity from nuclear by 2030.

Brazil reaffirmed its plans to move forward with new nuclear development and remains committed to a goal of 4-8 GW of new nuclear by 2030.

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