Global nuclear power generation in 2017 increased for the fifth consecutive year, reaching 2506 TWh, according to a new World Nuclear Association report. The Association says the industry is on target to meet the near-term goals of its Harmony programme. In the World Nuclear Performance Report 2018, the Association details power generation and construction achievements for the previous year. In addition, the report features five case studies covering topics including how one of the oldest operating reactors achieved a 100% availability factor, the restart of two reactors in Japan and the construction and operation of three new reactor models in China, Russia and South Korea. At the end of 2017 the global nuclear capacity of the 448 operable reactors stood at 392 GWe, up 2 GWe compared with the end of 2016. Four new reactors were connected to the grid, with a combined capacity of 3373 MWe. The total number of reactors under construction fell by two to 59 over the course of 2017. Five reactors – two of which had not generated electricity for some years – were shut down, with a combined capacity of 3025 MWe. Agneta Rising, Director General of World Nuclear Association said, “There is no sustainable energy future without nuclear energy. We will need all low-carbon energy sources to work together. Nuclear capacity must expand to achieve the industry’s Harmony goal to enable nuclear energy to supply 25% of the world’s electricity demand by 2050.” The Harmony goal will require a tripling of nuclear generation from its present level. Some 1000 GWe of new nuclear generating capacity will need to be constructed by then to achieve that goal.
World Nuclear News 16th Aug 2018 read more »
The world’s nuclear reactors performed excellently in 2017. Global nuclear electricity output was 2506 TWh, an increase of 29 TWh compared to 2016. This marked the fifth successive year that nuclear output has increased, with generation 160 TWh higher than in 2012. At the end of 2017 the global nuclear capacity of the 448 operable reactors stood at 392 GWe, up 2 GWe on the end of 2016 total. Four new reactors were connected to the grid, with a combined capacity of 3373 MWe. Five reactors were shut down, with a combined capacity of 3025 MWe. However two of those reactors, Monju and Santa Maria de Garoña, had not generated for some years previously.
World Nuclear Association 16th Aug 2018 read more »
