1. The Current Status of
Nuclear Power in the World
Presented at the Energy Committee Colloquium II
July 29, 2012
by
Joseph S. Miller, PE, ASME Fellow
EDA, Inc.
Vienna, VA
Chair – ASME Nuclear Engineering Division(NED)
Member of ASME Energy Committee
jsmeda@cox.net
1

2. STATUS OF NUCLEAR
POWER IN THE USA
2

3. USA Summary of Nuclear Power
 The USA is the world's largest producer of nuclear power,
accounting for more than 30% of worldwide nuclear generation
of electricity.
 The country's 104 nuclear reactors produced 807 billion kWh in
2010, over 20% of total electrical output.
 Following a 30-year period in which few new reactors were built,
it is expected that 4-6 new units may come on line by 2020, the
first of those resulting from 16 license applications made since
mid-2007 to build 24 new nuclear reactors.
 However, lower gas prices since 2009 have put the economic
viability of some of these projects in doubt. Also, the accidents in
Japan may put a hold on construction projects.
 Government policy changes since the late 1990s have helped
pave the way for significant growth in nuclear capacity.
Government and industry are working closely on expedited
approval for construction and new plant designs.
Source: http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf41.html
3

4. USA Reactors
 Number of operating reactors: 104
(35 boiling water reactors, 69 pressurized
water reactors)
 14 BWR plants have one reactor; nine
have two reactors; one has three reactors
 15 PWR plants have one reactor; 24 have
two reactors; two have three reactors
4

5. Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)
5

6. Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)
6

7. Percent of Total Electric Power Generated by Nuclear Power Plants in the U.S.
Percent Nuclear Electricity
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
7

8. U.S. Nuclear Generating Statistics
1971 - 2011
Total Electricity Nuclear Generation Nuclear Fuel Capacity Summer
Generation (MWh) (MWh) Share (Percent) 4,500,000,000
Factor Capacity
Year (Percent) (MW)
1971 1,615,853,616 38,104,545 2.4 48.2 9,033
4,000,000,000
1972 1,752,978,413 54,091,135 3.1 42.5 14,481
1973 1,864,056,631 83,479,463 4.5 53.5 22,683 3,500,000,000
1974 1,870,319,405 113,975,740 6.1 47.8 31,867
1975 1,920,754,569 172,505,075 9.0 55.9 37,267 3,000,000,000
1976 2,040,913,681 191,103,531 9.4 54.7 43,822
1977 2,127,447,487 250,883,283 11.8 63.3 46,303 2,500,000,000 Total Electricity
1978 2,209,376,911 276,403,070 12.5 64.5 50,824 Generation (MWh)
1979 2,250,665,025 255,154,623 11.3 58.4 49,747 2,000,000,000
1980 2,289,600,364 251,115,575 11.0 56.3 51,810 Nuclear Generation
1981 2,297,973,339 272,673,503 11.9 58.2 56,042 1,500,000,000 (MWh)
1982 2,244,372,488 282,773,248 12.6 56.6 60,035
1983 2,313,445,685 293,677,119 12.7 54.4 63,009 1,000,000,000
1984 2,419,465,368 327,633,549 13.5 56.3 69,652
1985 2,473,002,122 383,690,727 15.5 58.0 79,397 500,000,000
1986 2,490,470,952 414,038,063 16.6 56.9 85,241
1987 2,575,287,666 455,270,382 17.7 57.4 93,583 0
1988 2,707,411,177 526,973,047 19.5 63.5 94,695
1989 2,967,305,524 529,354,717 17.8 62.2 98,161
1960 1980 2000 2020
1990 3,037,988,277 576,861,678 19.0 66.0 99,624
1991 3,073,798,885 612,565,087 19.9 70.2 99,589
1992
100.0
3,083,882,204 618,776,263 20.1 70.9 98,985
1993 3,197,191,096 610,291,214 19.1 70.5 99,041 90.0
1994 3,247,522,388 640,439,832 19.7 73.8 99,148
1995 3,353,487,362 673,402,123 20.1 77.4 99,515 80.0
1996 3,444,187,621 674,728,546 19.6 76.2 100,784
1997 3,492,172,283 628,644,171 18.0 71.1 99,716 70.0
1998 3,620,295,498 673,702,104 18.6 78.2 97,070
1999 3,694,809,810 728,254,124 19.7 85.3 97,411 60.0 Nuclear Fuel Share
2000 3,802,105,043 753,892,940 19.8 88.1 97,860 (Percent)
2001 3,736,643,653 768,826,308 20.6 89.4 98,159 50.0
2002 3,858,452,252 780,064,087 20.2 90.3 98,657 Capacity Factor
2003 3,883,185,205 763,732,695 19.7 87.9 99,209 40.0 (Percent)
2004 3,970,555,289 788,528,387 19.9 90.1 99,628
2005 4,055,422,744 781,986,365 19.3 89.3 99,988
30.0
2006 4,064,702,228 787,218,636 19.4 89.6 100,334
20.0
2007 4,156,744,724 806,424,753 19.4 91.8 100,266
2008 4,119,387,760 806,208,435 19.6 91.1 100,755 10.0
2009 3,950,330,927 798,854,585 20.2 90.3 101,004
2010 4,125,059,900 806,968,301 19.6 90.9 101,351 0.0
2011 4,105,734,000 790,225,000 19.2 89.0 101,351
1960 1980 2000 2020
8

9. Improvements in Current Reactor Fleet
 Almost no new US nuclear power generation has been added in the last 25 years.
 The increase in nuclear generation has been achieved by a substantial increase in the
overall capacity factor of the U.S. plants from about 60% in 1980 to 90% today.
 This large increase in capacity factor was achieved by reducing outage durations,
extending fuel cycles, using higher burnup fuel, and by reducing unplanned outages and
fuel failures. Combined with increases in power in various plants (power uprates),
allowed the nuclear power option to maintain and increase its share of electricity
generation.
 Such an increase in nuclear generation is the equivalent of having built 25-30 nuclear
power plants during that period.
 The reduced length of the planned outages from 106 days for an average operating
plant in 1991 to 38 days in 2008 and the reduced number of unplanned outages
improved plant availability and cost. The reduction in planned outage length and the
number of unplanned outages represents a significant improvement in the nuclear plant
availability, cost and safety of nuclear power plants.
 Power uprate, which allows plants to operate at a higher power, and power plant life
extension, which extended the operating life of a power plant beyond 40 years allowed
more electrical power to be generated at a reduce total production cost and
construction cost, respectively. Also, fuel performance has improved to a very high
level over the last 20-30 years.
9

10. Status of New Plants in USA
Construction /
Operating License Approval
Status Company Location (Facility) Design # of Units Early Site Permit (ESP) Submittal Docket Date Date
Southern Company Burke County, GA (Vogtle 3, 4) AP1000 2 Approved August 2009 3/31/08 5/30/08 2/10/12
Under Construction South Carolina Electric & Jenkinsville, SC (Summer 2, 3) AP1000 2 NA 3/27/08 7/31/08 3/30/12
(5) Gas
Tennessee Valley Rhea County, TN (Watts Bar
Gen II PWR 1 NA - - -
Authority 2)*
Detroit Edison Newport, MI (Fermi 3) ESBWR 1 - 9/18/08 11/25/08
Louisa County, VA (North Anna Approved November
Dominion APWR 1 11/27/07 1/28/08
3) 2007
Cherokee County, SC (William
Duke Energy AP1000 2 - 12/13/07 2/25/08
States Lee 1, 2)
Miami-Dade County, FL
Florida Power & Light AP1000 2 6/30/09 9/8/09
(Turkey Point 6, 7)
Under Active NRC Luminant Glen Rose, TX (Comanche
APWR 2 - 9/19/08 12/2/08
Review (10 Peak 3, 4)
applications; 16 PPL Corp. / Unistar Luzerne County, PA (Bell
EPR 1 - 10/10/08 12/19/08
units) Bend)
Progress Energy Wake County, NC (Harris 2, 3) AP1000 2 - 2/19/08 4/17/08
Progress Energy Levy County, FL (Levy 1, 2) AP1000 2 - 7/30/08 10/6/08
South Texas Project
Matagorda County, TX (South
Nuclear Operating ABWR 2 - 9/20/07 11/29/07
Texas Project 3,4)
Company
Calvert County, MD (Calvert 1/25/08 &
UniStar EPR 1 - 7/13/07 & 3/14/08
Cliffs 3) 6/3/08
Ameren Fulton, MO (Callaway 2) EPR 1 - 7/24/08
West Feliciana Parish, LA
Entergy ESBWR 1 - 9/25/08 12/4/08
(River Bend 3)
Suspended NRC Claiborne County, MS (Grand
Entergy (NuStart ) ESBWR 1 Approved April 2007 2/27/08 4/17/08
Review Gulf)
Jackson County, AL
TVA (NuStart ) AP1000 2 - 10/30/07 1/18/08
(Bellefonte 3, 4)
Oswego County, NY (Nine Mile
UniStar EPR 1 - 9/30/08 12/12/08
Point 3)
Source: NEI - http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/newplants/graphicsandcharts/newnuclearplantstatus/
10

11. Status of New Plants in USA (Cont.)
Construction /
Operating Approval
Status Company Location (Facility) Design # of Units Early Site Permit (ESP) License Submittal Docket Date Date
Exelon Clinton, IL (Clinton) tbd - Approved March 2007 tbd
Early Site Permits Exelon Victoria County, TX tbd - Submitted March 2010 Withdrawn
Lower Alloways Creek, NJ
PSEG tbd - Submitted May 2010 tbd
(Salem/Hope Creek)
Amarillo Power / Unistar Amarillo, TX EPR 1 - tbd
Ameren / Westinghouse Fulton, MO (Callaway) SMR** tbd Under consideration
Blue Castle Holdings, LLC Green River, UT - - - -
Under Consideration Southern Company tbd tbd tbd tbd tbd
Southern Ohio Clean
Piketon, OH - - Under consideration Under consideration
Energy Park Alliance
TVA / Generation Roane County, TN (Clinch
SMR** 6 Under consideration
mPower*** River)
* TVA suspended construction of Watts Bar 2 in 1985. On July 2008, NRC issued an Order allowing TVA
to resume construction.
** SMR = small modular reactor, usually 350 or fewer MW
*** Generation mPower is a small modular reactor development company formed jointly by Babcock &
Wilcox and Bechtel.
NRC New Nuclear Plant Review Schedules
http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col.html
Updated: 5/12
Source: NEI - http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/newplants/graphicsandcharts/newnuclearplantstatus/
11

12. STATUS OF NUCLEAR
POWER IN THE WORLD
12

13. 13

14. 14

15. 15

16. World Nuclear Power Reactors
July 2012
16

17. World Nuclear Power Reactors
July 2012
17

18. World Nuclear Power Reactors
July 2012
18

19. World Nuclear Power Reactors
July 2012
Sources:
Reactor data: WNA to 29/6/12 (excluding 8 shut-down German units)
IAEA- for nuclear electricity production & percentage of electricity (% e) 13/4/12.
WNA: Global Nuclear Fuel Market report Sept 2011 (reference scenario) - for U.
Operable = Connected to the grid;
Under Construction = first concrete for reactor poured, or major refurbishment under way;
Planned = Approvals, funding or major commitment in place, mostly expected in operation within 8-10
years;
Proposed = Specific program or site proposals, expected operation mostly within 15 years.
New plants coming on line are largely balanced by old plants being retired. Over 1996-2009, 43 reactors
were retired as 49 started operation. There are no firm projections for retirements over the period covered
by this Table, but WNA estimates that at least 60 of those now operating will close by 2030, most being
small plants. The 2011 WNA Market Report reference case has 156 reactors closing by 2030, and 298
new ones coming on line.
TWh = Terawatt-hours (billion kilowatt-hours), MWe = Megawatt (electrical as distinct from thermal), kWh
= kilowatt-hour.
67,990 tU = 80,181 t U3O8
** The world total includes 6 reactors operating on Taiwan with a combined capacity of 4927 MWe, which
generated a total of 40.4 billion kWh in 2011 (accounting for 19.0% of Taiwan's total electricity generation).
Taiwan has two reactors under construction with a combined capacity of 2700 MWe, and one proposed,
1350 MWe. It is expected to require 1291 tU in 2012.
19

20. 20

21. Nuclear Share of Elecrtical Generation, Number of reactors in operation,
worldwide, 2012-07-02 (IAEA 2012, modified) worldwide, 2012-07-02 (IAEA 2012, modified)
21

22. Number of nuclear reactors worldwide by age as of 2012-07-02 (IAEA 2012)
22

23. Nuclear Units Under Construction Worldwide
Country Reactor Name Reactor Type Total MWe Estimated Start-up Year
Argentina (1) Atucha 2 PHWR 692 2012
Brazil (1) Angra-3 PWR 1,245 NA
China (26) Changjiang 1 PWR 610 NA
Changjiang 2 PWR 610 NA
Fangchenggang PWR 1,000 NA
Fangjiashan 1 PWR 1,000 NA
Fangjiashan 2 PWR 1,000 NA
Fuqing 1 PWR 1,000 NA
Fuqing 2 PWR 1,000 NA
Fuqing 3 PWR 1,000 NA
Haiyang 1 PWR 1,000 NA
Haiyang 2 PWR 1,000 NA
Hongyanhe 1 PWR 1,000 NA
Hongyanhe 2 PWR 1,000 NA
Hongyanhe 3 PWR 1,000 NA
Hongyanhe 4 PWR 1,000 NA
Lingao 4 PWR 1,000 NA
Ningde 1 PWR 1,000 NA
Ningde 2 PWR 1,000 NA
Ningde 3 PWR 1,000 NA
Ningde 4 PWR 1,000 NA
Sanmen 1 PWR 1,000 NA
Sanmen 2 PWR 1,000 NA
Taishan 1 PWR 1,700 NA
Taishan 2 PWR 1,700 NA
Yangjiang 1 PWR 1,000 NA
Yangjiang 2 PWR 1,000 NA
Yangjiang 3 PWR 1,000 NA
China, Taiwan (2) Lungmen 1 ABWR 1,300 NA
Lungmen 2 ABWR 1,300 NA
Finland (1) Olkiluoto 3 PWR 1,600 NA
France (1) Flamanville 3 PWR 1,600 2016
India (7) Kakrapar 3 PHWR 630 2015
Kakrapar 4 PHWR 630 2015
Kudankulam 1 PWR 917 NA
Kudankulam 2 PWR 917 2012
PFBR FBR 470 NA
Rajasthan 7 PHWR 630 2016
Rajasthan 8 PHWR 630 2016
Japan (2) Ohma ABWR 1,325 NA
Shimane 3 ABWR 1,325 NA
23

24. Country Reactor Name Reactor Type Total MWe Estimated Start-up Year
Pakistan (2) Chasnupp 3 PWR 315 2016
Chasnupp 4 PWR 315 2017
Russia (11) Akademik Lomonosov 1 PWR 32 NA
Akademik Lomonosov 2 PWR 32 NA
Baltiisk 1 PWR 1,082 2017
Beloyarsky 4 FBR 804 NA
Kursk 5 LWGR 915 NA
Leningrad 2-1 PWR 1,085 NA
Leningrad 2-2 PWR 1,085 NA
Novovoronezh 2-1 PWR 1,114 NA
Novovoronezh 2-2 PWR 1,114 NA
Rostov 3 PWR 1,011 NA
Rostov 4 PWR 1,011 NA
Slovak Republic (2) Mochovce 3 PWR 391 2012
Mochovce 4 PWR 391 2013
S. Korea (3) Shin-Kori 3 PWR 1,340 NA
Shin-Kori 4 PWR 1,340 NA
Shin Wolsong 2 PWR 960 NA
Ukraine (2) Khmelnitski 3 PWR 950 2015
Khmelnitski 4 PWR 950 2016
United States (5) Summer 2 PWR 1,154 2017
Summer 3 PWR 1,154 2018
Vogtle 3 PWR 1,154 2016
Vogtle 4 PWR 1,154 2017
Watts Bar 2 PWR 1,165 2015
Total (66) 63,849
Sources: International Atomic Energy Agency PRIS database; project sponsors
http://www.iaea.org/programmes/a2/index.html
Updated: 5/12
ABWR - Advanced Boiling Light-Water-Cooled and Moderated Reactor
FBR - Fast Breeder Reactor
LWGR - Light-Water-Cooled, Graphite-Moderated Reactor
PHWR - Pressurized Heavy-Water-Moderated and Cooled Reactor
PWR - Pressurized Light-Water-Moderated and Cooled Reactor
24

25. Generations of Nuclear Plants
 The generation I reactors refer to the early prototype of power reactors, such
as Shippingport, Magnox, Fermi 1, and Dresden.
 A generation II reactor is a design classification for a nuclear reactor, and refers to the class
of commercial reactors built up to the end of the 1990s. Prototypical generation II reactors
include the PWR, CANDU, BWR, AGR, and VVER.
 A generation III reactor is a development of any of the generation II nuclear reactor designs
incorporating evolutionary improvements in design developed during the lifetime of the
generation II reactor designs. Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR), Advanced
Pressurized Water Reactor (APWR). Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6), VVER-1000/392 (PWR),
Advanced Heavy Water Reactor are examples of Gen III reactors.
 The generation III+ reactor designs offer improvements in safety and economics over
Generation III advanced reactor designs certified by the NRC in the 1990s. Advanced CANDU
Reactor (ACR-1000), AP1000, European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), Economic Simplified
Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR), APR-1400 — an advanced PWR design evolved from the
U.S. System 80+, VVER-1200, EU-ABWR are examples of Gen III+ reactor designs.
 Generation IV reactors (Gen IV) are a set of theoretical nuclear reactor designs currently
being researched. Most of these designs are generally not expected to be available for
commercial construction before 2030. Current reactors in operation around the world are
generally considered second- or third-generation systems, with many of the first-generation
systems having already retired. Research into these reactor types was officially started by the
Generation IV International Forum (GIF) based on eight technology goals, including to
improve nuclear safety, improve proliferation resistance, minimize waste and natural resource
utilization, and decrease the cost to build and run such plants.
25

26. 26

27. Generation IV Reactors
27

28. Advanced Reactors Being Marketed
28

29. Advanced Reactors Being Marketed
29

30. World Nuclear Power Generation and Capacity
As of March 2012 2011
Number of Nuclear Nuclear Fuel Share
Country Units Nuclear Capacity (MW) Nuclear Generation (BkWh) (Percent)
Argentina 2 935 5.9 5.0
Armenia 1 375 2.4 33.2
Belgium 7 5,927 45.9 54.0
Brazil 2 1,884 15.6 3.2
Bulgaria 2 1,906 16.3 32.6
Canada 18 12,604 90.0 15.3
China 16 11,816 87.4 1.9
Czech RP 6 3,766 26.7 33.0
Finland 4 2,736 22.3 31.6
France 58 63,130 421.1 77.7
Germany 9 12,068 102.3 17.8
Hungary 4 1,889 14.7 43.3
India 20 4,391 28.9 3.7
Iran 1 915 0.1 0.0
Japan 50 44,215 156.2 18.1
Korea Rep. 23 20,671 147.7 34.6
Mexico 2 1,300 9.3 3.6
Netherlands 1 482 3.9 3.6
Pakistan 3 725 3.8 3.8
Romania 2 1,300 11.7 19.0
Russia 33 23,643 161.7 17.6
Slovakia 4 1,816 14.3 54.0
Slovenia 1 688 5.9 41.7
South Africa 2 1,830 12.9 5.2
Spain 8 7,567 55.1 19.5
Sweden 10 9,326 58.0 39.6
Switzerland 5 3,263 25.7 40.9
Taiwan, China 6 5,018 40.5 19.0
U.K. 17 9,703 56.4 15.7
U.S.* 104 101,465 790.2 19.3
Ukraine 15 13,107 84.8 47.2
Total 436 370,461 2,518.1
* IAEA and EIA nuclear capacity figures vary slightly.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency
http://www.iaea.org/programmes/a2/index.html
Updated: 3/12
30

31. Conclusions
 Capacity factors of the current US
nuclear fleet is at an all time high (90%)
 The post Fukushima era has impacted the
completion dates of many reactors, but
construction continues at a good pace.
 New reactors planned worldwide is 160
with 63 currently under construction.
 64,000 Mw of Nuclear Generation Power
will be added in the next 10 years
worldwide. 31