Whereas world nuclear energy capability has remained at a constant stage over the previous decade, newly launched information from the Worldwide Atomic Power Company (IAEA) means that greater than two-thirds of the world’s nuclear reactors are greater than 30 years outdated, and almost a 3rd have been in operation for 40 years.
Based on the IAEA’s 2024 updates to the Nuclear Energy Reactors within the World and Working Expertise with Nuclear Energy Stations in Member States, launched on Aug. 20, on the finish of December 2023, world operational capability stood at 371.5 GWe, supplied by 413 reactors in 31 member states. This represents about 10% of the world’s electrical energy and 1 / 4 of all low-carbon energy generated final 12 months. A further 21.3 GWe from 25 reactors, although licensed for operation, remained in suspended operations all through 2023, the company mentioned.
World Nuclear Growth Uneven, Asia Leads Capability Progress Over the Previous Decade
Total, complete reported manufacturing in 2023 reached 2,552.07 TWh, representing a modest 2.6% improve from 2022, the IAEA reported. Nonetheless, development has been uneven throughout totally different areas. Greater than 79% of capability development since 2013 has been centered in Asia. China, which at the moment holds a 56-reactor fleet (a mixed 54.1 GWe), led the world’s nuclear capability development over the previous decade, including 40.02 GWe since 2013, the IAEA mentioned. The information reveals that one other 27 reactors are at the moment below development in China.
In 2023, for the fourth consecutive 12 months, China surpassed France to turn into the world’s second-largest producer of nuclear vitality regardless of holding a smaller fleet. In 2023, it produced 406 TWh. The U.S. remained the world’s nuclear manufacturing chief on the finish of 2023, with 93 operational reactors producing 779.2 TWh of electrical energy—accounting for about 31% of world nuclear manufacturing. In 2023, Vogtle Unit 3 entered industrial operation on July 31, 2023, making it the nation’s first new nuclear reactor on-line in additional than 30 years. (Vogtle Unit 4 entered industrial operation on April 29, 2024, bringing the U.S. reactor complete to 94 and furnishing it with a complete capability of 97 GWe.) On the finish of 2023, France operated 56 nuclear reactors, a mixed capability of 61.4 GWe that produced 323.8 TWh.
Over Two-Thirds of Nuclear Reactors Exceed 30 Years of Operation
Nonetheless, the IAEA notes that the world’s fleet is getting older. About 67% of the operational reactor capability—equal to 261.8 GWe from 295 reactors—has operated for over 30 years. Of those, 112.2 GWe from 142 reactors, or 29% of the entire capability, have operated for over 40 years. Moreover, 17.5 GWe from 28 reactors, accounting for 4% of the capability, have been operating for over 50 years.
“Nuclear energy continues to be a big and indispensable supply of low-carbon electrical energy,” mentioned IAEA Director Normal Rafael Mariano Grossi. “But it surely’s additionally clear that we might want to lengthen the lives of present reactors, exchange retiring amenities with new ones, and add a variety of new capability in order that world local weather change and vitality safety objectives will be reached.”
The priority is very important given a aim launched by 20 nations on the December 2023 COP28 convention in Dubai to triple nuclear vitality by 2050. The aim would entail increasing the present world nuclear capability from 370 GW to 1,110 GW. Endorsing nations embrace the U.S., Armenia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ghana, Hungary, Jamaica, Japan, Republic of Korea, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, UAE, and the UK. Through the convention’s historic first World Stocktake, 198 signatory nations known as to speed up the deployment of nuclear and different low-emission applied sciences for deep and speedy decarbonization, together with hard-to-abate sectors.
In its experiences, the IAEA famous that in 2023, 45 nuclear energy reactors throughout 10 nations equipped 2,046.0 GWh {of electrical} equal of warmth for non-electric functions. “Nearly all of this warmth (88%) was utilized for district heating, totaling 1,799.1 GWh, in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, China, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, and Switzerland. Industrial heating in India and Switzerland was supported by 211.8 GWh (10%) {of electrical} equal of warmth, whereas 35.1 GWh (2%) was used for desalination,” it mentioned.
World Nuclear Fleet Acting at an Distinctive Stage
Regardless of the challenges of getting older infrastructure, the IAEA’s Working Expertise report signifies that the worldwide nuclear fleet continues to carry out at a excessive stage, with a median capability issue of 88%. “Boiling water reactors (BWR) and pressurized water reactors (PWR) have been the best-performing reactors since 2013, with median capability elements of 89.3% and 82.7%, respectively,” the company mentioned. Major causes of unplanned outages detailed within the report primarily embrace equipment-related failures. Nonetheless, additionally they embrace a wide range of different causes reminiscent of inspections and upkeep, plant element testing, human elements, and, notably, nuclear regulatory necessities, grid limitations or unavailability, and gasoline administration limitations.
Final 12 months, a complete of 6 GWe of nuclear capability was completely retired. 5 reactors have been taken offline. Belgium’s 1-GWe Tihange-2 reactor, a PWR with over 40 years of operational historical past, was completely shut down on February 1. On March 14, Taiwan, China, adopted swimsuit by shutting down Kuosheng-2, a BWR with a capability of 985 MWe. Germany noticed essentially the most important influence because it culminated its 12-year-long nuclear phaseout coverage with the everlasting shutdown of its final three operational reactors—Emsland (1,335 MWe), Isar-2 (1,410 MWe), and Neckarwestheim-2 (1,310 MWe)—on April 15.
Nonetheless, the world added 5 new PWRs, a mixed capability of 5 GWe. In China, Fangchenggang-3, the primary of two Hualong One demonstration reactors, was linked to the grid on Jan. 10, 2023. In Slovakia, the Mochovce-3 reactor, a water-water energetic reactor (VVER) V-213 mannequin with a web electrical capability of 440 MWe, was linked to the grid on Jan. 31, 2023. Within the U.S., Vogtle 3, a 1.1-GW AP1000 reactor, got here on-line on March 31, 2023. January. In Belarus, the Belarusian-2 reactor mannequin VVER V-491 (1,110 MW) was linked to the grid on Could 13, 2023. And on Dec. 31, 2023, Shin-Hanul-2, a 1,340 MWe APR-1400 reactor in South Korea linked to the grid.
On the finish of 2023, a complete capability of 61.1 GWe (59 reactors) was below development in 17 nations, the IAEA famous. Through the 12 months, development started on six PWR nuclear energy reactors in China and Egypt with a complete capability of 6.8 GWe. Egypt kicked off development at El Dabaa Unit 3, a 1,100-MWe VVER-1200 reactor. China started development on 4 CAP1000 reactors: Haiyang-4 (1,161 MWe), Lianjiang-1 (1,224 MWe), Sanmen-4 (1,163 MWe), and Xudapu-1 (1,000 MWe). Moreover, development started on one HPR1000 reactor, Lufeng-6 (1,116 MWe).
—Sonal Patel is a POWER senior editor (@sonalcpatel, @POWERmagazine).
