Future growth for nuclear power?
Asia leads the way in the expansion of nuclear-generated electricity.
The world's output of nuclear power could nearly double by 2030, according to a new report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
IAEA's Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2030, published in October, suggests that the increase will be fueled by demand from emerging economies and fears about supply security. Much of the expansion in nuclear-generated electricity will be in Japan, South Korea, China, and India. Of the 31 nuclear power plants currently being built, 11 are in China and India. The U.S.—which has 103 reactors that provide one-fifth of its electricity—could see capacity expand by 15–50%, from old and proposed plants.
Despite that growth, the report predicts that nuclear energy's global share could drop from 16% to 13% by 2030, because other sources of electricity will grow faster.
