Global Nuclear Power Engineering Development

According to WNA (World Nuclear Association) statistics, in June 2011 in 29 countries of the world there were 441 nuclear reactors in service with a total installed capacity of 376,447 MW. Globally, these reactors account for about 14% of the world’s electricity production. There are 60 of them being constructed in 13 countries. 155 reactors are planned to be constructed. 338 Global reactors are being debated in total (including the CR), the installed capacity of which will reach almost 384,000 MW.

Nuclear use plays a significant role in the EU – approximately one third of the produced energy here comes from nuclear power plants. The EU-27 is the biggest “nuclear superpower” in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. It produces 8% more nuclear energy than North America, almost three times the production of Japan and seven times the production of the Russian Federation. In Europe nuclear power plants are being built in Finland, France, Russia and Slovakia. Construction is being prepared in Switzerland, England, Italy, The Netherlands, in Lithuania, Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Ukraine and Belorussia. For example, Russia is intent on building 22 new thousand-mega-watt reactors by 2020 and a quantity of floating reactors.

Most nuclear facilities are run in the USA (104), France (58), Japan (51), Russia (32), South Korea (21), India (20), Great Britain (19), Canada (18). In EU countries pressurised water reactors (PWR) are largely used (65%), boiling water reactors (BWR) rank second (22%). Heavy water reactors, graphite water reactors, gas cooled reactors, fast reactors and other types.

World Electricity Production Structure

Source: IEA

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Over the past 15 years the production of electricity in nuclear power plants has increased globally by more than 660 million kWh annually. This is largely due to production in new facilities, reconstruction of existing facilities, increasing the capacity and decreasing the failure rate. New repair methods, facility checks and better organisation of work also led to a decrease in the time necessary for fuel change – in this way the nuclear power plants have shorter outage times due to fuel change. Today’s nuclear power plants globally reach the average use value of 84%. In terms of operation hours translated into annual rated capacity, nuclear power plants show 8,000 hours per year whereas coal-fired power plants only 7,000 and gas even less (for operational and economic reasons). Wind shows only 1,000 to 3,000 hours per year (and this is not in accordance with the facility operators’ or customers’ wish but it depends on the weather!).

Nowadays new nuclear power plants are being built mainly in China, India, Russian Federation, Canada and Japan. In the USA new types of reactors are licensed and preliminary licenses for new nuclear power plant constructions for 4 sites in total are issued. Toward the end of 2007 about half of the 104 nuclear energy units in the USA received a prolonged operational license for another 20 years (for a total nuclear power plant operating life of 60 years) and the other half is being considered. This consideration process takes 22 months in the USA these days (originally 36 months) and it is done by the NRC. Currently further prolongation of the license is in preparation, for a total of 80 years, with respect to the very good condition of the pressure tank materials of the reactors, which constitute the limiting factor in this area.

The development of nuclear power engineering is supported by results of analyses of institutions such as the European Parliament, WEC or OECD. Even key EU institutions, such as ESC, ITRE, have made a significant stand for the use of nuclear energy. Cooperation in the area of a peaceful use of nuclear energy is held at international level. After the debate with Russia, Great Britain, France, Japan and China, the US government declared member countries of so-called GNEP (Global Nuclear Energy Partnership) will cooperate and share information in the area of advanced nuclear technologies with the aim to develop a nuclear energy fuel system that will be resistant to abuse, based on recycling technologies, a system that will produce more energy and less waste. In addition to this, they will organise “nuclear fuel rent” for smaller countries.

Further information and news:

• http://www.world-nuclear.org/
• http://www.foratom.org/