OVERVIEW
Almost 2 billion people around the world have no access
to electricity and the problem will worsen as the
global population continues to grow. The World Energy
Council’s WEC Statement 2000 points out that although
global reliance on fossil fuels and large hydro will
remain strong through 2020, these will not be able
to meet the world’s long-term electricity demand sustainably.
As a consequence, WEC concludes that the role of nuclear
power must be stabilised with the aim of possible
future extensions.
In the last three decades, nuclear power has played
a significant role in electricity generation. Currently
nuclear power supplies more than 16% of the world’s
total electricity. It produces little pollution and
virtually no greenhouse gases. Well-designed, constructed
and operated nuclear power plants (NPPs) have proven
to be reliable, safe, economical and environmentally
benign. Currently more than 9 000 reactor-years of
operating experience have been accumulated worldwide.
According to information provided by WEC Member Committees
for the present Survey, supplemented by data published
by the IAEA, there were 430 NPPs in operation at the
end of 1999, with an aggregate net generating capacity
of 349 GWe. There were reported to be 41 reactor units
under construction, with a total capacity of just
over 33 GWe. These figures are generally in line with
those contained in the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information
System (PRIS), which shows 433 NPPs (totalling 349
GWe) in operation at end-1999, and 37 units (31 GWe)
under construction. The small number of discrepancies
between the two data sets reflect differing views
on the status of a few marginal plants and on the
commencement of construction at a few reactor sites.
The country that produces the largest percentage of
its electricity by nuclear power is France where,
75% of electricity was produced by nuclear. It is
followed by Lithuania with 73%, Belgium with 58%,
Bulgaria, Slovakia and Sweden with 47%, Ukraine with
44% and Republic of Korea with 43%. In ten other countries,
more than 25% of the electricity was produced by nuclear
power (see Figure 6.2). The largest contributor to
the world’s installed nuclear capacity was the USA
with 28% of total capacity, followed by France with
18% and Japan with 12%
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