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The world's top 15 nuclear nations
Nuclear power generation began more than 50 years ago and now generates as much global electricity as was produced then by all sources.
Some two-thirds of world population lives in nations where nuclear power plants are an integral part of electricity production and industrial infrastructures.
Half the world's people live in countries where new nuclear power reactors are in planning or under construction. Thus, a rapid expansion of global nuclear power would require no fundamental change -- simply an acceleration of existing strategies.
Today nearly 440 nuclear reactors produce electricity around the world. More than 15 countries rely on nuclear power for 25 per cent or more of their electricity. In Europe and Japan, the nuclear share of electricity is over 30 per cent. In the US, nuclear power creates 20 per cent of electricity.
Let's take a look at top 15 nuclear nations...
India
India
Percentage of total power generated: 2.2 pc
Reactors Operable: 20
MWe net: 4,385
Reactors under construction: 5
MWe net: 3,900
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 18
MWe net: 15,700
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 40
MWe net: 49,000
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,053 tons
China
China
Percentage of total power generated: 1.9 pc
Reactors Operable: 13
MWe net: 10,234
Reactors under construction: 27
MWe net: 29,790
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 50
MWe net: 57,830
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 110
MWe net: 108,000
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 4,402 tons
Japan
Japan
Percentage of total power generated: 28.9 pc
Reactors Operable: 51
MWe net: 44,642
Reactors under construction: 2
MWe net: 2,756
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 12
MWe net: 16,532
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 3
MWe net: 4,000
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 8,195 tons
France
France
Percentage of total power generated: 75.2 pc
Reactors Operable: 58
MWe net: 63,130
Reactors under construction: 1
MWe net: 1,720
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 1
MWe net: 1,720
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 1
MWe net: 1,100
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 9,221 tons
United States
United States
Percentage of total power generated: 20.2 pc
Reactors Operable: 104
MWe net: 101,229
Reactors under construction: 1
MWe net: 1,218
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 9
MWe net: 11,662
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 23
MWe net: 34,000
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 19,427 tons
Russia
Russia
Percentage of total power generated: 17.8 pc
Reactors Operable: 32
MWe net: 23,084
Reactors under construction: 10
MWe net: 8,960
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 14
MWe net: 16,000
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 30
MWe net: 28,000
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 3,757 tons
South Korea
South Korea
Percentage of total power generated: 34.8 pc
Reactors Operable: 21
MWe net: 18716
Reactors under construction: 5
MWe net: 5800
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 6
MWe net: 8400
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 3586 tons
Canada
Canada
Percentage of total power generated: 14.8 pc
Reactors Operable: 18
MWe net: 12,679
Reactors under construction: 2
MWe net: 1,500
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 3
MWe net: 3,300
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 3
MWe net: 3,800
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,884 tons
Germany
Germany
Percentage of total power generated: 26.1 pc
Reactors Operable: 17
MWe net: 20,339
Reactors under construction: 0
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 0
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 3,453 tons
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Percentage of total power generated: 17.9 pc
Reactors Operable: 19
MWe net: 10,962
Reactors under construction: 0
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 4
MWe net: 6,680
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 9
MWe net: 12,000
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 2,235 tons
Ukraine
Ukraine
Percentage of total power generated: 48.6 pc
Reactors Operable: 15
MWe net: 13,168
Reactors under construction: 0
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 2
MWe net: 1,900
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 20
MWe net: 27,000
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 2,037 tons
Sweden
Sweden
Percentage of total power generated: 34.7 pc
Reactors Operable: 10
MWe net: 9,399
Reactors under construction: 0
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 0
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,537 tons
Spain
Spain
Percentage of total power generated: 17.5
Reactors Operable: 8
MWe net: 7,448
Reactors under construction: 0
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 0
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,458 tons
Belgium
Belgium
Percentage of total power generated: 51.7 pc
Reactors Operable: 7
MWe net: 5,943
Reactors under construction: 0
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 0
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 0
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 1,052 tons
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Percentage of total power generated: 33.8 pc
Reactors Operable: 6
MWe net: 3,722
Reactors under construction: 0
Reactors Planned (as on April 2011): 2
MWe net: 2,400
Reactors Proposed (as on April 2011): 1
MWe net: 1,200
Uranium Required (as on 2011): 680 tons