Nuclear Power Status in 1994

A total of 480 nuclear power plants were operating or being built around the world in 1994, based on data reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Power Reactor Information System (PRIS). During 1994, four nuclear power plants with altogether 3356 MW(e) were newly connected to electricity grids in China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Mexico, bringing the world's total number of operating reactors to 432 in 29 countries and Taiwan, China. Additionally, a total of 48 reactors were reported as being constructed in 15 countries.

Nuclear power's share of electricity production remained high in 1994, in seven countries -- Lithuania, 76.4; France 75.3; Belgium, 55.8; Sweden, 51.1; Slovak Republic, 49.1; Bulgaria, 45.6, and Hungary, 43.7 -- representing close to half or more of their total electricity use. All in all, 18 countries (including Taiwan, China) relied upon nuclear power plants to supply at least a quarter of their total electricity needs.

Worldwide in 1994, total nuclear power generation amounted to 2130.13 terawatt- hours of electricity. This is more than the world's total electricity generation -- 1912 terawatt-hours -- from all sources in 1958. Overall nuclear power plants provided approximately 17 percent of the world's electricity production in 1994. Cumulative worldwide operating experience from civil nuclear reactors at the end of 1994 was over 7200 years.

A table showing the electricity supplied by nuclear power reactors in 1994 and the respective percentages of electricity produced by nuclear energy is attached.