Radiation effects of the Chernobyl accident study 0:43
(CNN Spanish) -
The spotlight returns to the issue of nuclear energy after a CNN exclusive that reported a leak at a plant in China.
The French company Framatome, which is co-owner of the Taishan nuclear power plant in Guangdong province, notified the US government "of an imminent radiological threat" due to the leak at the facility, according to US officials and documents. reviewed by CNN.
Chernobyl is reclaimed by nature;
These photographs show the decline of the exclusion zone
Although the conditions and contexts are different, the report on the leak makes it impossible not to think about nuclear disasters of the past, such as Chernobyl in 1986 or Fukushima in 2011.
And it also puts into the discussion the nuclear power that each country has.
Next, we tell you how many nuclear reactors the nations of the planet have, according to information from the World Nuclear Association (WNA), an organization that promotes a better understanding of this type of energy.
Chernobyl from the sky, new tourist attraction 1:34
USA
It is the largest nuclear energy producer in the world.
It has 93 reactors operating in the country, which produce an average of 95,523 megawatts of electricity (MWe) per year.
It has two nuclear reactors under construction, which will produce 2,234 MWe.
Since the late 1960s, the US has shut down a total of 40 nuclear reactors.
China
China has increased its nuclear reactor capacity due, among other reasons, to air pollution from coal-fired power plants, according to the World Nuclear Association.
It has 50 nuclear reactors that produce 48,508 MWe.
In addition, it has another 18 under construction, which will produce around 18,206 MWe.
According to the WNA, there is no record of closed nuclear reactors by China.
Russia
It has 38 nuclear reactors that generate 28,578 MWe and two are under construction with a capacity for 2,350 MWe.
The country has plans to turn heavily to nuclear power in the future, building new reactors and designing new technology to improve them.
The construction by Russia abroad of more than 20 nuclear reactors is confirmed or planned.
Foreign orders to build nuclear power plants totaled $ 133 billion at the end of 2017.
UK
It has 15 nuclear reactors, which produce 20% of its electricity;
that is, 8,923 MWe.
However, half of its capacity will be withdrawn by 2025.
Despite this, the UK is building a new generation of nuclear power plants with two reactors that will generate 3,260 MWe.
Mexico
It has two nuclear reactors, which produce 1,552 MWe, that is, the equivalent of 4% of the country's electricity.
It has no reactors under construction and there are no records of closures in the past.
Its first commercial nuclear reactor began operating in 1989.
Argentina
The country has three nuclear reactors that produce 1,641 MWe, which is equivalent to 5% of its total electricity.
Unlike Mexico, Argentina has a reactor under construction, which plans to produce 25 MWe.
Its first commercial nuclear reactor began operating in 1974.
Armenia
It has a reactor in operation, which produces 423 MWe.
It does not have reactors under construction, but it is modernizing the one it currently has.
Until 1988, Armenia had two nuclear reactors, but an earthquake that year forced the closure of both.
In 1995, one of them restarted operations, which is what the country now has.
Bangladesh
Although it does not currently have reactors in operation, the country is building two.
Construction of the first began in November 2017 and it is expected to enter into operation in 2023 or 2024. Construction of the second began in July 2018 to start operations in 2024 or 2025.
Both are expected to produce 2,160 MWe per year.
Belarus
The country's first nuclear plant is under construction.
In it, there will be two reactors, of which one was already connected to the grid in November 2020 and produces 1,110 MWe.
The plant's second reactor, which is expected to be connected to the grid in 2022, will have the same capacity as the first: 1,110 MWe.
The project for this two-reactor nuclear plant is financed by Russia.
Belgium
It has seven nuclear reactors in operation, which produce an average of 5,942 MWe;
that is, about half of the country's electricity.
According to information gathered by the WNA, most of the seven reactors have a planned shutdown date of 2025.
The European nation's first commercial reactor began operating in 1974.
There is a record that the country has closed a nuclear reactor, which produced 10 MWe.
Brazil
The country has two nuclear reactors in operation that generate 1,884 MWe, equivalent to 3% of the country's electricity.
It has a third reactor under construction;
however, the work is stopped.
Its first commercial nuclear reactor began operations in 1982.
Bulgaria
It has two nuclear reactors in operation, which produce 2,006 MWe, which is equivalent to approximately one third of the country's electricity.
The nation's first commercial nuclear reactor began operations in 1974.
According to WNA records, Bulgaria has shut down four reactors with a capacity of 1,632 MWe.
Canada
The US neighbor has 19 nuclear reactors in operation, most of them located in Ontario.
These reactors produce 13,624 MWe, which amounts to 15% of Canada's total electricity.
The country had planned to increase its nuclear capacity with two more reactors for the next decade, but this was postponed.
Canada is one of the world leaders in nuclear research and technology.
Czech Republic
It has six nuclear reactors in operation, which produce 3,934 MWe;
that is, a third of the country's electricity.
Its first commercial reactor began operations in 1985.
Poland's public commitment is to substantially increase its nuclear capacity by 2040.
Finland
It has four nuclear reactors that produce 30% of the country's electricity;
that is, 2,794 MWe.
Finland has a reactor under construction that will contribute 1,600 MWe.
In addition, he plans to build another one.
With all six in operation, the nation expects its nuclear capacity to rise to 60% of its electricity.
France
The country has 56 nuclear reactors that produce 61,370 MWe, which is equivalent to almost 70% of its electricity.
In addition, it has another one under construction, which will generate 1,630 MWe.
The Government of France plans to lower this capacity from 70% to 50% by 2035.
About 17% of its electricity comes from recycled nuclear energy.
The nation is the world's largest electricity exporter, earning an average of € 3 billion a year.
Germany
It has six nuclear reactors in operation that produce 8,113 MWe.
Until March 2011, Germany produced 25% of its electricity with nuclear power from 17 reactors.
However, this number was reduced to 10% with the six reactors it currently has.
It has shut down a total of 30 reactors, producing 18,262 MWe, and has no plans to build others.
Hungary
It has four nuclear reactors that generate 1,902 MWe;
that is, about half of its electricity.
Its first commercial reactor began operations in 1982.
A contract has already been signed to build two more reactors.
India
The country has 23 nuclear reactors in operation, which produce 6,885 MWe.
The government plans to expand its nuclear capacity and currently has six more reactors under construction that will generate 4,194 MWe.
"Since India is outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty because of its weapons program, for 34 years it was largely excluded from the trade in nuclear plants and materials," says the WNA.
Iran
It has only one reactor in operation, after spending several years under construction.
It produces 915 MWe.
In addition, it has been building another one with a capacity for 974 MWe since November 2019.
And he has another one in plans.
These last two are of Russian design.
Japan
The Japanese country has 33 nuclear reactors that produce 31,679 MWe.
In addition, it has two under construction and has closed a total of 27 reactors.
Its first commercial reactor began operations in mid-1966.
Nuclear power became a national priority starting in 1973. This strategy was deeply revised since the Fukushima disaster in 2011, but later reaffirmed.
The plan is for nuclear power to produce 20% of the country's energy by 2030.
Netherlands
It has a single nuclear reactor that produces just 482 MWe.
Its first commercial reactor began operating in 1973.
"Its main research reactor produces around 60% of Europe's medical radioisotopes," according to the WNA.
Pakistan
It has six nuclear reactors that produce 2,332 MWe.
In addition, it has one more under construction, with the help of China, which will generate 1,014 MWe.
Like India, Pakistan is outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which has earned it exclusions from nuclear trade deals.
Romania
The country has two nuclear reactors in operation, which generate 1,300 MWe;
that is, about 15% or 20% of your electricity.
Its first commercial reactor started operations in 1996;
the second, in May 2007.
Government support for nuclear power is strong.
Slovakia
This European nation has four nuclear reactors that generate 1,837 MWe;
that is, about half of its electricity.
In addition, it is building two more with capacity for 880 MWe.
There are records that it has closed three that produced 909 MWe.
Its first commercial nuclear reactor began operations in 1972.
Slovenia and Croatia
They have shared a nuclear reactor since 1981. This produces a total of 688 MWe per year.
For its part, Slovenia is considering adding a second unit at the Krško nuclear plant.
South Africa
It has two nuclear reactors that generate 1,860 MWe;
that is, 5% of its electricity.
Its first commercial reactor started operations in 1984.
“In October 2019, the country outlined plans to build 1,000 MW of new nuclear capacity by 2030;
and also to extend the useful life of its existing plant by 20 years, ”says the WNA.
South Korea
The Asian country has 24 nuclear reactors in operation, which produce 23,150 MWe, a third of its electricity.
It is one of the most prominent nations in nuclear energy and exports its technology widely.
He is involved in the construction of the first nuclear plant in the United Arab Emirates, with a contract of US $ 20,000 million.
It has four other reactors under construction that will generate 5,360 MWe and has closed two with a capacity of 1,237 MWe.
Spain
It has seven nuclear reactors that produce about a fifth of the country's electricity;
that is, 7,121 MWe.
Its first commercial nuclear reactor began operating in 1968.
In its history, it has closed a total of three nuclear reactors, which had a capacity of 1,067 MWe.
Sweden
It has six nuclear reactors that generate about 40% of the country's electricity, equivalent to 6,882 MWe.
“In 1980, the government decided to phase out nuclear power.
In June 2010, Parliament voted to repeal this policy.
In 2015, the decision was made to close four old reactors by 2020, eliminating 2,700 MWe, ”according to the WNA.
Swiss
The European nation has four nuclear reactors that generate up to 40% of its electricity;
that is, 2,960 MWe.
Since 2011, the Swiss Parliament has voted not to renovate any reactor and thus phase out nuclear energy.
This decision was confirmed in a 2017 referendum.
Turkey
It does not have nuclear reactors in operation, but is building three that will produce 3,342 MWe.
Plans to establish nuclear power in the country have been around since 1970.
Now those plans are key to the country's economic growth.
Construction of the first reactor began in April 2018.
Ukraine
It has 15 nuclear reactors, which produce an average of 13,107 MWe per year.
It is a country known for its heavy dependence on nuclear energy.
With this it generates about 50% of its electricity.
It is currently building two more reactors with a capacity for 2,070 MWe.
In addition, it has closed four that generated 3,515 MWe.
These were located at the Chernobyl nuclear plant.
United Arab Emirates
The country has a nuclear reactor in operation, which generates 1,345 MWe.
It was connected to the network in August 2020.
In addition, another three are under construction and will produce 4,035 MWe.
The four reactors are part of the contract with South Korea.
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