Nuclear power generates 2,652 TWh of electricity each year from 440 operable reactors worldwide. This output equals 9.2 percent of global production. The statistics track how capacity additions in some nations offset retirements elsewhere while operating costs remain the lowest among baseload sources.
Key Takeaways
- Global nuclear power capacity reached 413.3 GW(e) at the end of 2023, with 440 operable reactors
- Overnight capital cost for new nuclear in U.S. averaged $6,689/kW in 2023 estimates
- Nuclear avoids 500 MtCO2/year globally, worth $25B at $50/tCO2
- 60 countries operate reactors, 30 planning new builds for clean energy
- No deaths from radiation among 190,000 Chernobyl workers 1986-2005 beyond 28 acute
Nuclear power remains a low carbon electricity pillar, supplying steady generation while costs and safety improve.
Related reading
01 · Category
Capacity and Production30 stats
01
Global nuclear power capacity reached 413.3 GW(e) at the end of 2023, with 440 operable reactors
02
In 2023, nuclear power generated 2,652 TWh of electricity worldwide, accounting for 9.2% of total global electricity production
03
The United States has 93 operable nuclear reactors with a total net capacity of 95,478 MWe as of 2024
04
France generated 379.65 TWh from nuclear in 2022, representing 69.7% of its total electricity production
05
China added 8.4 GW of nuclear capacity in 2023, bringing its total to 57.1 GW with 55 reactors operable
06
India's nuclear power capacity stood at 7,480 MWe from 23 reactors as of March 2024: June 2026
07
South Korea's 26 reactors produced 158.4 TWh in 2023, 30.8% of national electricity
08
Russia's 37 reactors have a total capacity of 29.4 GWe, generating about 20% of its electricity
09
Ukraine's 15 reactors at four plants generated 14.2% of its electricity in 2023 despite conflict
10
Pakistan's six reactors provide 2,830 MWe, about 9% of electricity in 2023
11
Canada has 19 CANDU reactors with 13,552 MWe capacity, producing 15% of electricity
12
United Arab Emirates' Barakah plant with four APR-1400 reactors reached 5,600 MWe full capacity in 2024
13
Slovakia's five reactors generated 53.9 TWh in 2022, 53.5% of electricity
14
Sweden's six reactors produced 70 TWh in 2023, 40% of electricity supply
15
Switzerland's four reactors generated 27.5 TWh in 2023, 37% of electricity
16
Hungary's four VVER reactors at Paks produced 15 TWh in 2023, 45% of electricity
17
Bulgaria's Kozloduy reactors (two units) generated 14.5 TWh in 2023, 35% of electricity
18
Romania's Cernavoda units 1 and 2 produced 12.5 TWh in 2023, 19% of electricity
19
Argentina's four reactors generated 7.5 TWh in 2023, 7% of electricity
20
Mexico's Laguna Verde two units produced 7.8 TWh in 2023, 4.5% of electricity
21
World's 412 reactors under construction or planned total over 230 GWe new capacity projected by 2035
22
Small modular reactors (SMRs) have 80+ designs, with 12 under construction globally as of 2024
23
Finland's Olkiluoto 3 EPR reactor at 1,720 MWe started commercial operation in 2023, boosting capacity
24
United Kingdom has 9 reactors with 5.9 GWe capacity, planning 24 GWe by 2050
25
Japan's 33 operable reactors have 31.7 GWe capacity, restarted 12 by 2024 post-Fukushima
26
Belgium's seven reactors generated 42 TWh in 2023 before phase-out plans
27
Czech Republic's six VVER-440 reactors produced 27 TWh in 2023, 35% of electricity
28
Armenia's Metsamor unit 2 generated 2.4 TWh in 2023, 30% of electricity
29
Iran's Bushehr reactor produced 7 TWh in 2023, 2% of electricity with plans for more
30
Global nuclear capacity factor averaged 80.6% in 2023, higher than coal (59%) and gas (52%)
Interpretation
Capacity and Production Interpretation
While representing just 9.2% of global generation, this fleet of 440 reactors demonstrates a remarkably resilient, concentrated, and often indispensable backbone of clean electricity, reliably powering entire nations and proving that splitting atoms is still a surprisingly good way to keep the lights on for a significant slice of humanity.
02 · Category
Economics and Costs26 stats
01
Overnight capital cost for new nuclear in U.S. averaged $6,689/kW in 2023 estimates
02
Vogtle Units 3&4 total cost $34.9 billion for 2,234 MWe, $15.6M/kW including delays
03
French Flamanville 3 EPR cost €19.2 billion for 1,650 MWe, €11.6M/kW
04
Levelized cost of nuclear (LCOE) $77/MWh vs solar $54-110, wind $26-78 in 2023
05
U.S. nuclear operating cost $30/MWh, lowest among baseload sources
06
Lifetime extension of U.S. reactors to 80 years costs $0.5-1B per reactor, saves $billions
07
Olkiluoto 3 Finland cost €11.6B for 1,720 MWe after delays
08
Hinkley Point C UK two EPRs budgeted £31-36B for 3,200 MWe
09
SMR NuScale VOYGR estimated $89/MWh LCOE at full deployment
10
Fuel cost for nuclear is 0.5-1 cent/kWh vs 3-5 for gas, stable price
11
U.S. nuclear industry paid $18.7B federal taxes in 2022
12
Nuclear supports 475,000 U.S. jobs with $60B annual economic output
13
Decommissioning costs fully funded at $500K-1M per MWe in U.S. trusts
14
Chinese AP1000/Hualong One costs $2,800-3,500/kW, half Western prices
15
UAE Barakah four units cost $24.4B for 5,600 MWe, $4.35M/kW on time/budget
16
Savings from nuclear avoided gas purchases: $12B/year in U.S. 2022
17
Waste management cost 0.1 cent/kWh, lower than other sources disposal
18
Capacity auctions: nuclear won at $30/MWh vs gas $100+ in Europe 2023
19
Plant life extension ROI 2-3x investment in upgrades
20
Global nuclear investment needed $1.3T by 2050 for net-zero
21
Vogtle AP1000 construction learning curve reduced Unit 4 costs 30% vs Unit 3
22
French reactor maintenance standardized, O&M cost €15/MWh
23
Natrium SMR+battery hybrid LCOE $40-60/MWh projected
24
Nuclear R&D investment ROI: $20societal benefit per $1 spent
25
U.S. nuclear subsidies via PTC $15/MWh match renewables, level field
26
Lifetime nuclear plant cost $60-90/MWh including all externalities
Interpretation
Economics and Costs Interpretation
It’s the economic paradox of power: a new plant costs an eye-watering fortune to build, but once it’s running, it’s an incredibly cheap and stable workhorse that saves fortunes and cleans the air, proving the real sticker shock is in not having it.
03 · Category
Environmental Impact25 stats
01
Nuclear avoids 500 MtCO2/year globally, worth $25B at $50/tCO2
02
Nuclear power prevented 72 GtCO2 emissions 1971-2022, 1.8M deaths avoided
03
Land use: nuclear 0.3 m²/MWh vs solar 5-10, wind 70-400 m²/MWh
04
Lifetime emissions nuclear 12 gCO2/kWh vs solar 48, wind 11, gas 490
05
U.S. nuclear fleet displaces 555 million metric tons CO2 annually
06
Mining impact: uranium 120 tCO2/GWh vs coal 3,000+ tCO2/GWh equivalent
07
Nuclear thermal efficiency 33-37%, waste heat managed vs fossil cooling towers
08
Water use nuclear 720 L/MWh vs coal 980, gas 1,000+ L/MWh
09
Spent fuel 2,500 tons/year U.S. vs coal ash 130 million tons air pollution
10
Biodiversity: nuclear plants protect land from mining unlike fossils
11
France nuclear 70% electricity, per capita CO2 4.5 t vs Germany 8.1 t post-nuclear phaseout
12
Ontario CANDU nuclear zero air emissions, saved 1M tons smog precursors yearly
13
Nuclear recycling reuses 96% fuel, reduces waste volume 10x in France
14
Particulate matter deaths avoided by nuclear: 2.4M globally since 1971
15
Seawater intrusion minimal at coastal nuclear vs desalination impacts
16
Wildlife around Chernobyl exclusion zone thrives, higher mammal densities
17
SMRs reduce thermal plume by modular siting away from sensitive areas
18
Nuclear baseload stabilizes grid, reduces renewable curtailment 20-30%
19
Finland Olkiluoto 3 cuts 9MtCO2 over lifetime vs coal
20
Global nuclear expansion to 800 GW by 2050 avoids 80 GtCO2
21
Waste volume: nuclear 5g/person/year electricity vs coal ash 300kg/person
22
No SOx/NOx from nuclear, unlike 10-20% U.S. fossil emissions regulated
23
Closed fuel cycle reduces high-level waste by 90%
24
Nuclear cooling towers use less water than hydro variability impacts
25
IPCC AR6: nuclear low-carbon with high reliability for 1.5C pathway
Interpretation
Environmental Impact Interpretation
Nuclear power is the quietly efficient climate workhorse we’ve been ignoring, squeezing out emissions at a fraction of the land, waste, and air pollution of its alternatives.
More related reading
04 · Category
Policy and Future Projections24 stats
01
60 countries operate reactors, 30 planning new builds for clean energy
02
IAEA projects global capacity doubling to 830 GW(e) by 2050 in high case
03
U.S. Inflation Reduction Act credits nuclear $15/MWh PTC through 2032
04
EU taxonomy classifies nuclear low-risk sustainable if safety standards met
05
China plans 150 new reactors by 2035, 200 GWe total capacity
06
India targets 22 GW nuclear by 2031, 100 GW by 2047
07
Russia Rosatom exports to 12 countries, builds 36 reactors abroad planned
08
UAE aims 50% nuclear in energy mix by 2050 post-Barakah success
09
UK Great British Nuclear tenders 6-10 GW new fleet by 2030s
10
France delays phase-out, plans 6-14 new EPRs by 2050
11
Japan revises energy plan for 20-22% nuclear by 2030
12
South Korea nuclear share target 30% by 2030, exports to Poland/Czech
13
Canada Small Modular Reactor Roadmap targets 5 GW by 2040
14
Poland signs for 6 AP1000 Westinghouse reactors by 2033
15
Saudi Arabia plans 16 GW nuclear by 2040 for Vision 2030
16
Egypt El Dabaa first pour 2024, four VVER-1200 by 2030
17
Turkey Akkuyu VVER construction 50% complete, 4.8 GW by 2028
18
Bangladesh Rooppur two VVER-1200 financing secured, start 2025
19
IAEA 80+ SMR designs, 12 construction licenses issued globally 2024
20
Net-zero scenarios require tripling nuclear to 3x current by 2050
21
U.S. ADVANCE Act 2024 streamlines NRC licensing for advanced reactors
22
Belgium extends reactors to 2035-50 pending new capacity decision
23
Sweden lifts nuclear ban, subsidies for new builds 2024
24
Germany post-phaseout imports nuclear power, energy security review
Interpretation
Policy and Future Projections Interpretation
The global nuclear renaissance is no longer just an industry daydream, but a full-scale geopolitical and environmental sprint, where nations from the UAE to the UK are now frantically competing to pour concrete and secure tax credits, all in a bid to keep the lights on without setting the planet on fire.
05 · Category
Safety and Reliability26 stats
01
No deaths from radiation among 190,000 Chernobyl workers 1986-2005 beyond 28 acute
02
Fukushima Daiichi accident caused zero radiation-related deaths, with evacuation deaths at 2,313
03
Over 18,000 reactor-years of operation worldwide with no core melt accidents except Three Mile Island (no deaths)
04
Nuclear power's death rate is 0.03 per TWh, lowest among energy sources vs coal 24.6
05
U.S. nuclear plants averaged 92.7% capacity factor in 2023 with zero safety incidents Level 3+
06
French nuclear fleet of 56 reactors had 341 reactor-years in 2023 with no significant events
07
IAEA reports 440 operable reactors with collective dose <1 mSv/person-year, below natural background
08
Three Mile Island partial core melt 1979 released radiation equivalent to 1 chest X-ray, no health effects
09
Windscale fire 1957 released iodine-131 but cancer rates not elevated beyond expected
10
SL-1 accident 1961 killed 3 operators, only U.S. fatal reactor accident
11
Chernobyl's 4,000-9,000 projected thyroid cancers mostly treatable, far less than coal pollution deaths
12
Post-Fukushima safety upgrades cost $160B globally but enhanced defenses-in-depth
13
U.S. NRC recorded 0 Level 4+ events in 2023 across 92 reactors
14
CANDU reactors have passive safety features, zero major incidents in 400 reactor-years
15
Russian VVER designs have full containment, flawless safety record in 13 countries
16
EPR reactor design withstands aircraft crash, core catcher for molten corium
17
AP1000 has passive cooling for 72 hours without power or water
18
Global nuclear radiation exposure from plants is 0.0002 mSv/year vs 2.4 mSv natural
19
99% of Fukushima radionuclides decayed or diluted, no detectable health impact
20
U.S. nuclear plants prevented 1.6 million air pollution deaths since 1971
21
Swedish nuclear safety authority reports <0.1% forced outage rate due to safety
22
Korean nuclear exports to UAE had zero safety events in construction/operation
23
IAEA OSART missions improved safety at 80% of visited plants with no major findings
24
Radiation workers have lower cancer rates than general population due to screening
25
Gen IV reactors designed for meltdown-proof operation with online refueling
26
Historical U.S. nuclear incident rate 0.0001 per reactor-year for significant events
Interpretation
Safety and Reliability Interpretation
Nuclear power's safety record, despite the memorable accidents, is ironically stellar when you consider that its gravest historical threats are arguably panic and paperwork, not radiation.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Nuclear Power Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nuclear-power-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Nuclear Power Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/nuclear-power-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Nuclear Power Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nuclear-power-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
50 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level