World Nuclear Power Reactors & Uranium Requirements

March 2021

The World Nuclear Association's Country Profiles, linked to below, provide more detail of what is tabulated here.

Sources:

Reactor and electricity data: International Atomic Energy Agency Power Reactor Information System (PRIS); US Energy Information Administration; company data; World Nuclear Association estimates
World Nuclear Association, The Nuclear Fuel Report (published September 2019, reference scenario forecast) – for uranium requirements
68,269 tU = 80,506 t U₃O₈

Notes:

Operable = Connected to the grid.
Under Construction = First concrete for reactor poured.
Planned = Approvals, funding or commitment in place, mostly expected to be in operation within the next 15 years.
Proposed = Specific programme or site proposals; timing very uncertain. 

* World figures include Taiwan, which generated a total of 31.1 TWh from nuclear in 2019 (accounting for 13.4% of Taiwan's total electricity generation). The island has four operable reactors with a combined net capacity of 3844 MWe. A two-unit plant (Lungmen) commenced construction in New Taipei City in 1999. In February 2019 Taipower confirmed that the two units would not be completed. The two units are listed as under construction in PRIS, but were removed from WNA's database on 1 September 2020.

** International Energy Agency data for year 2018 (latest available).

† Under Construction figures include a number of units where construction is currently suspended: Angra 3 (Brazil); Ohma 1 and Shimane 3 (Japan); Khmelnitski 3&4 (Ukraine).

‡ Baltic 1, a VVER-1200 unit, commenced construction in Kaliningrad in Russia in February 2012. Construction was suspended in July 2013, and in 2017 the RPV made for Baltic 1 was sent to be used in Ostrovets 2 in Belarus. The unit is shown as under construction in PRIS, but was removed from the WNA's database in November 2020.

New plants coming online are largely balanced by old plants being retired. Over 1998-2020, 103 reactors were retired as 105 started operation. However, the reactors grid connected during this period were larger, on average, than those shutdown, so capacity increased by 31 GW. The reference scenario in the 2019 edition of The Nuclear Fuel Report (Table 2.5) has 154 reactors closing by 2040, and 289 new ones coming online (figures include 21 Japanese reactors online by 2040). 

TWh = terawatt hour (billion kilowatt hours); kWh = kilowatt hour; MWe = megawatt (electrical as distinct from thermal).

Note: This table is routinely updated approximately every two months, and more frequently as required.
Earlier tables: December 2020 November 2020 August 2020 February 2020 December 2019 October 2019 April 2019 November 2018 August 2018 April 2018 February 2018 December 2017 September 2017 July 2017 May 2017 March 2017 January 2017 November 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 March 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 August 2015 June 2015 April 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 October 2014 August 2014 June 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 February 2009 January 2009 October 2008 September 2008 July 2008 March 2008 January 2008 December 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 May 2007 March 2007 January 2007