Ten new nuclear reactors went online in 2016, bringing capacity to highest level ever

Ten new nuclear reactors began generating electricity in 2016, which brought net nuclear capacity to the highest level in history, according to the 2017 edition of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Nuclear Power Reactors in the World report.

As of December 31, 2016, 448 reactors were operating worldwide with a net capacity of 391 gigawatts (GW) of electricity.

This is the second year in a row that 10 reactors came online, which is the highest number since the 1980s, according to the report.

“In the past two years 20 new nuclear power reactors were connected to the grid and started producing electricity,” IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy Mikhail Chudakov said. “This demonstrates the important role that nuclear power continues to play in meeting growing energy demand throughout the world.”

Three reactors were permanently shut down and 61 nuclear reactors were under construction during 2016. Two reactors remain in long-term shutdown.

This is the 37th edition of Reference Data Series No. Two, which summarizes information on power reactors that are in operation, under construction and shut down. It also includes performance data of operational reactors in IAEA Member States as well as data on the types of reactors, nuclear electricity production, the categories of new reactors connected to the grid, technical terms used during the decommissioning process of reactors and the specification and performance history data of operating reactors.

The information is collected through designated national counterparts in Member States who feed to the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS).