World Nuclear Power Reactors & Uranium Requirements

1 September 2017

In the 'planned' category, this table includes only those future reactors envisaged in specific plans and expected to be operating by the late 2020s.

The World Nuclear Association country profiles linked to this table cover both areas: near-term developments and the prospective long-term role for nuclear power in national energy policies. They also provide more detail of what is tabulated here.

Sources:
Reactor data: World Nuclear Association
International Atomic Energy Agency Power Reactor Information System – for nuclear electricity production & percentage of electricity (% e)
World Nuclear Association, The Nuclear Fuel Report (September 2017, reference scenario) – for U
65,014 tU = 76,671 t U₃O₈

Operable = Connected to the grid
Under Construction = First concrete for reactor poured, or major refurbishment underway
Planned = Approvals, funding or commitment in place, mostly expected in operation within 8-10 years
Proposed = Specific programme or site proposals, timing of start of operation very uncertain

New plants coming online are largely balanced by old plants being retired. Over 1996-2016, 80 reactors were retired as 96 started operation. The reference scenario in the 2017 edition of The Nuclear Fuel Report (Table 2.4) has 140 reactors closing by 2035, and 224 new ones coming online (figures include 22 Japanese reactors online by 2035).

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

** The world total includes six reactors operating on Taiwan with a combined capacity of 4927 MWe, which generated a total of 30.5 TWh in 2016 (accounting for 13.7% of Taiwan's total electricity generation).

Note: This table is routinely updated approximately every two months, and more frequently as required.
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