World Nuclear Power Reactors & Uranium Requirements

August 2020

Note: This is an archived table. The latest version is available 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
68,240 tU = 80,472 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.

** Provisional International Energy Agency data for year 2019.

† Under Construction figures include a number of units where construction is currently suspended: Angra 3 (Brazil); Ohma 1 and Shimane 3 (Japan); Baltic 1 (Russia); Lungmen 1&2 (Taiwan); V.C. Summer 2&3 (USA).

‡ Khmelnitski 3&4 (Ukraine) are listed as under construction in PRIS. Construction was suspended in 1990 and is yet to restart. In this table the two units are listed as planned. 

New plants coming online are largely balanced by old plants being retired. Over 1998-2018, 89 reactors were retired as 98 started operation. 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).