World Energy Outlook 2006

GW
250
200
150
100
50
0
Figure 13.2: Historical World Nuclear Capacity Additions
1954 -
1960
1961-
1970
1971-
1980
1981-
1990
1991-
2000
2001-
2005
United States France Japan Russia Germany Other
Note: Includes reactors that have been shut down (about 36 GW in total).
Source: IEA analysis based on data from IAEA PRIS database.
economies resulted in a slower than anticipated development of nuclear power.
Many of these countries had several projects under construction or had been
planning significant capacity increases at the time. Most of those projects were
cancelled or suspended.
Globally, nuclear capacity additions in the 1990s were less than a quarter of the
additions of a decade earlier. But, despite the limiting factors, OECD countries
have added about three times more capacity than non-OECD since 1990. This
increase was led by Japan, France and the Republic of Korea.
The share of nuclear power in world electricity generation reached its highest
point in 1996, at 18% (Figure 13.3) falling to 15% by 2005. The global
decrease can be explained by a small decline in the OECD as well as by the
increasing weight in global electricity generation of developing countries,
where the share of nuclear power was around 2.5% during that period.
Nuclear electricity generation increased by 36% between 1990 and 2005. This
increase reflects greater installed capacity and increases in the availability and
capacity factors of nuclear power plants. Nuclear capacity increased by about
14% both because of the addition of new plants and plant uprates. Improved
performance was a more important influence with improved capacity factors
making an important contribution to competitiveness in many cases
(Figure 13.4).
Chapter 13 - Prospects for Nuclear Power 349
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© OECD/IEA, 2007