ABSTRACT
An analysis of global energy scenarios suggests that new nuclear build needed to meet the projected nuclear generation in 2060 is within the scope of the industry; to meet the number of additional nuclear plants needed to displace fossil generation would require a major uplift in ambition. An analysis to explore what is possible at the national level is presented in this chapter. It focuses on those countries that already have nuclear in their mix and those that wish to adopt this technology, 45 countries in total.
Applying a set of criteria that address the need for large volumes of low-carbon electricity, high technical capability and a commitment to civil nuclear power reduces the number of countries that nuclear power could serve from 45 to 10. Only one of these countries, Poland, currently does not have nuclear in its generation mix.
Three countries can play a critical role in mitigating Climate Change by increasing their nuclear capacity significantly: China, USA and India. Only China is currently committed to expanding its nuclear fleet significantly. A small group of countries together can make an important contribution to reducing global carbon emissions: Japan, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, Poland, Canada and the UK.
