Nuclear current content to record low: a rethink in energy policy?

Nuclear current content to record low: a rethink in energy policy?

The proportion of nuclear power in global electricity generation has been continuously falling for years. In 2024, this proportion was registered with only 9 percent than the lowest value in 40 years, which is more than 45 percent below the high of 17.5 percent in 1996. Despite an increase of 0.5 percent in the production of nuclear power compared to the record year 2006, it can be seen that this small proportion can only be maintained by extending the existing power plants, Herbert Stoiber, Managing Director of Nuclear Stop_Atom strength! In recent years, the average age of the approximately 400 nuclear power plants operated has increased to 32.4 years, which raises concerns about security. Loud eco-news the media representation of the nuclear industry is often described as misleading, and Stoiber calls for an end to the subsidies for nuclear power.

The World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WISR) is considered an indispensable source of information. François Lévêque, professor of economy at the Mines-Paristech in France, emphasizes the importance of report. International experts such as Peter Bradford, former commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the USA, as well as John Mecklin, editor -in -chief of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, also emphasize the importance of the independent analysis of the nuclear industry by the WNIS. The annual publication is viewed by many experts as essential for informed decisions about the energy strategies, since they not only confronted facts, but also the opinions of industry and political demands, such as World Nuclear Report determined.

Nuclear energy on the advance?

In contrast to the declining proportions of nuclear power, a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) notes that nuclear energy has experienced a comeback that has not been seen since the oil crisis in the 1970s. Over 40 countries have decided to set up or rebuild their nuclear power capacity in order to cover the increasing need for electricity. This is not only favored by the increased electrification in different sectors, but also by the fact that more than 70 gigawatts are under construction worldwide. The executive director of the IEA, Fatih Birol, even predicts a record production of electricity through nuclear power for 2025. However, it remains questionable how this development can be assessed in a broader context of dependencies on technologies from China and Russia, especially since some traditional nuclear power countries, such as the USA and France, are fighting with increasing costs and delays in modernizing their facilities. This shows the Report of the Tagesschau.

Nevertheless, countries such as Germany, which in mid -April 2023 have exit from nuclear energy, face the challenge of continuing their energy transition, while other nations put new reactors into operation or use their existing power plants again. The investment requirement for the future expansion of nuclear energy will be estimated at up to 117 billion euros.