Ten new reactors were connected to the grid in 2015, the highest number since 1990, according to the 2016 edition of ‘Nuclear Power Reactors in the World’, published last week. The global statistics recorded in this annual publication on nuclear power reactors show that as of 31 December 2015, the 441 operational reactors had a worldwide net capacity of 382,855 megawatts of electricity. Also within the same period, seven reactors were permanently shut down and 67 nuclear reactors were under construction.

“We hope this reference guide is a useful source of information for those countries interested in assessing the benefits of having nuclear power in their energy mix and for those already using nuclear power,” said Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Deputy Director-General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy.

This is the 36th edition of Reference Data Series No.2, containing summarized information on power reactors operating, under construction and shut down as well as performance data on reactors operating in the IAEA Member States.

Data on the types of reactors, nuclear electricity production, the categories of new reactors connected to the grid; technical terms used during the decommissioning process of reactors, and the specification and performance history data of operating reactors, are included information.

The information is collected through designated national counterparts in Member States who feed to the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS). PRIS is home to the most current and frequently updated figures on nuclear reactors, also with details on country levels.

Low carbon sources of energy, such as nuclear energy, minimize the greenhouse gases emitted in energy generation. The IAEA helps countries using or introducing nuclear power to do so safely, securely and sustainably, said Chudakov.