New 'Brown Book' Shows Nuclear Share In OECD Countries Remains Strong
Written by NucNet
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
16 Jul (NucNet): The nuclear share of total electricity production in
countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) was more than 21 percent in 2007, according to new figures
published today by the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
According to the NEA, nuclear power plants provided 21.6 percent of the electricity generated in OECD countries, as compared to 22.9 percent in 2006. Total nuclear electricity production was 2,172 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in 2007, about 3.6 percent less than the previous year.
The NEA, which comprises 28 OECD member countries in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region, released the data in its 2008 edition of Nuclear Energy Data*, also known as the 'Brown Book'. The report also gives an overview of the status of, and trends in, nuclear electricity generation and the fuel cycle in OECD countries.
According to the NEA, at the start of 2008 there were 346 reactor units connected to the electricity grid in 17 OECD countries. Fourteen reactor units representing a total capacity of 14.2 gigawatts electric (GWe) are under construction in OECD countries: six in South Korea, three in Japan, two in Slovakia and one each in Finland, France and the US.
The NEA said firm commitments have been made for the construction of 13 more units, all in the OECD Pacific region. Once completed, the new units will add 31.2 GWe to OECD electricity grids.
Twelve units are scheduled to be shut down before 2012: five in Germany, four in the UK, one in France, one in Japan and one in Slovakia.
"Higher uranium prices have stimulated exploration and the re-evaluation of known resources, increasing the global uranium resource base by 15 percent between 2005 and 2007," the NEA said.
"Natural uranium production in OECD countries is lower than requirements and as in the past, the gap is being made up by imports and secondary sources. Plans to increase uranium enrichment capacity progressed during 2007 with the ongoing construction of new enrichment facilities in France and the US."
*Nuclear Energy Data (ISBN 978-92-64-04796-9) can be ordered online (http://www.oecd.org).
- by John Shepherd
Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
New 'Brown Book' Shows Increased Nuclear Share In OECD Countries (News No. 148, 14 June 2007)
French Enrichment Plant On Course To Start Operations In 2009 (News in Brief No. 18, 20 February 2008)
Areva Chooses Idaho Site For New US Enrichment Plant (News No. 32, 6 May 2008)
