Zero expansion for global nuclear power in 2009

Two reactors closed in 2009 and two new ones opened, leaving the "renaissance" in stasis. Shutdowns were France's Phenix, a prototype fast reactor which produced 233 MWe, and Lithuania's Ignalina 2 which produced 1185 MWe but has been shut early as a condition of EU entry. The two new reactors of 2009 were Tomari 3 in Japan and Rajasthan 5 in India, both connected to the grid in December. Respectively they added 868 MWe and 220 MWe to global nuclear capacity.

Comments

[Jim Green]

hi, actually there were 4 permanent shutdowns in 2009. Here are figures cobbled together from various World Nuclear Association webpages:

Permanent shutdowns
- 233 MWe France
- 1185 Lithuania
- 515 Japan
- 806 Japan (the two oldest reactors at Japan's Hamaoka plant)
Total above -2739 MWe

New reactors
+ 866 Japan
+ 220 India
Uprates
+ 808
Total above +1894 MWe

Net decrease: 2 reactors, 845 MWe

But there's a sting in the tail - construction began on 11 reactors in 2009 - 9 in China, one in South Korea and one in Russia.

Another calculation that may be of interest - an estimate for the nuclear 'renaissance'. The current IAEA 'low' projection for 2030 is 510 GW. Since 1985, IAEA 'low' projections have overprojected by an average of 13%. So if we reduce 510 by 13%, that gives 444 GWe, a 12% increase above the current 373 GWe.