Seminar: status and trends of the global nuclear industry

There has been a significant shift in the public debate on nuclear power in many countries. Political decisions have, in turn, led to examining lifetime extensions of reactors previously slated for closure in some countries (e.g. Belgium, USA). Other countries planning to exit nuclear power at the end of the lifetime of current reactors (e.g., the Netherlands and Sweden) are studying the possibility of a new nuclear build. A third group of countries that have never operated nuclear power plants decided or considered entering the nuclear club (e.g. Bangladesh, Egypt, Poland, Turkey).

The assessment of the current status and trends of nuclear power raises the question: is the nuclear industry actually in decline? Over the past 20 years, more reactors closed than started up. This trend has not changed towards the end of the period. In 2023, five units started up, five closed, and the balance of installed capacity was negative. Over the past four years, 2020-2023, all construction starts in the world were either in China (20) or implemented by Russia in various countries (11).

The World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) is published annually since 2007 by an international, interdisciplinary group of experts. The 549-page WNISR 2023 was elaborated by a dozen specialists from seven countries on four continents, including from some of the finest Think Tanks and universities in the world, like Chatham House in London, University of British Columbia, Technical University Berlin, or the University of Johannesburg. The project is coordinated by independent analyst Mycle Schneider, Paris.

Read the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2023

The event is organised by the Division of Electric Power and Energy Systems at KTH