Germany to Shut Down Nuclear Power, But Others Aren’t Ready Yet
The energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine forced Germany last year to extend the lives of the country’s last three nuclear power plants by a few months beyond their scheduled decommissioning in late 2022.
The reactors will finally go offline on Saturday, April 15th.
Despite calls to postpone the plant closures, the German government has said there is no going back and that phasing out “is a done deal”.
There are, however, some countries that continue to believe in nuclear energy, or at least see it as a carbon-free source of energy to combat climate change.
There are currently 412 nuclear reactors in operation in 41 countries around the world, according to the World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR).
Nuclear power accounted for about 9.8% of global electricity generation in 2021down from a peak of 17.5% in 1996.
The participation of nuclear energy in the global energy matrix is now below that of renewable energy generation. A report released this week by energy think tank Ember said wind and solar energy accounted for a record 12% of global electricity production last year.
Most nuclear reactors were built between 1968 and 1986, mainly in Europe, the United States, the former Soviet Union and Japan.
The global average age of these reactors is 31 years.
China: Nuclear ambitions at home and abroad
China is a major player when it comes to building and operating nuclear power plants. The country now operates 57 reactors and 21 more reactors are under construction.
China has by far the youngest nuclear fleet in the world, with as many as 41 reactors – almost every four out of five – connected to the grid in the last 10 years.
The share of nuclear energy in the country’s electricity mix was almost 5% in 2022.
Beijing also has nuclear ambitions abroad, but so far has only exported reactors to Pakistan. All six units currently in operation in the South Asian country are of Chinese design.
China’s other international projects, including those in the UK and Romania, have so far not progressed to the construction phase.
China does not have a repository for highly radioactive waste, but is exploring one in the Gobi Desert.. Its nuclear waste is currently stored in various domestic reactor sites.
India: Slow progress despite support
India currently has 19 nuclear reactors, with a total net generating capacity of 6.3 GW. Eight more reactors, with a combined capacity of 6.0 GW, are under construction. The average age of reactors is around 20 years.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), nuclear energy contributed 39.8 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in 2021, slightly less than 40.4 TWh in 2020. This represents a share of 3.2 % in total power generation, compared to 3.3% in 2020.
Nuclear power projects in the country have suffered from significant delays and costs, despite broad financial and political support from parties across the spectrum.
The sector has also been plagued by controversies and protests over issues related to land ownership, as well as the safety of power plants in the event of natural or man-made disasters.
Furthermore, India does not have a final storage facility for highly radioactive nuclear waste.
Japan: Energy crisis prompts rethinking
The war in Ukraine and the ensuing global energy crisis led the Japanese government to reverse the nuclear disposal policy adopted after the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in 2011.
All of Japan’s nuclear reactors were shut down after the disaster and most remain out of action to this day.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration is now promoting a plan to maximize the use of nuclear energy, calling for seven reactors approved by Japan’s nuclear safety body to resume operations.
Kishida also urged the nation to consider building “next generation” reactors with new safety mechanisms.
In the midst of the energy crisis, polls show that public opinion about nuclear power is waning, although mistrust still runs deep among sectors of society.
Source: DW
Lori Barajas is an accomplished journalist, known for her insightful and thought-provoking writing on economy. She currently works as a writer at 247 news reel. With a passion for understanding the economy, Lori’s writing delves deep into the financial issues that matter most, providing readers with a unique perspective on current events.