The IAEA have just published their Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2050. These are obtained by looking at all nuclear power reactors in operation, in build and in planning across the world and making best estimate, pessimistic and optimistic estimates of the electricity they might be expected to generate up to 2050.
The highlights reported include:
- There were 448 operational nuclear power reactors in the world at the end of 2016, with a total net installed power capacity of 391 GW(e).
- An additional 61 units with a total capacity of 61 GW(e) were under construction.
- During 2016, ten new nuclear power reactors with a total capacity of 9531 MW(e) were connected to the grid, and three reactors with a total capacity of 1405 MW(e) were retired.
- In 2016, construction began on three new units that are expected to add a total capacity of 3014 MW(e).
- Nuclear power accounted for about 11% of total electricity production in 2016.
- Coal still leads as the major source for electricity generation across the world with natural gas growing.
- Hydropower and renewables grew to 24.8% in 2016 compared to 11% nuclear electricity production.
- World energy consumption is expected to increase by 18% by 2030 and by 39% by 2050, at an annual growth rate of about 1%.
- More than half of the existing nuclear power reactors are over 30 years old and are scheduled to be retired in the coming years.
ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION BY ENERGY SOURCE IN THE COMBINED REGIONS OF NORTHERN, WESTERN AND SOUTHERN EUROPE IN 2016
