Press release
Paris, 5 June 1997

Nuclear energy generation in OECD/NEA countries will continue To grow at 1.7 per cent per year beyond 2000

Electricity produced from nuclear power stations in OECD/NEA member countries should continue to grow, from 1994 Terawatt-hours (TWh) in 1996 to 2259 TWh in 2010. However, the nuclear share of total electricity production, which stood at 24.9 per cent in 1996, is projected to decline to 22.2 per cent by 2010. Electricity demand should continue to grow at about 1.7 per cent annually beyond the year 2000.

This information is published in the annual survey of developments and projections of nuclear generation, installed capacities and associated fuel cycle services carried out by the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). The survey, Nuclear Energy Data, also known as the "Brown Book",is based on official statistics and projections to 2010 submitted by OECD/NEA countries. The 1997 edition of the Brown Book contains, for the first time, data for the Czech Republic and Hungary.

Nuclear energy currently represents about 77 per cent of total electricity production in France, 57 per cent in Belgium, 52 per cent in Sweden, 43 per cent in Switzerland, 41 per cent in Hungary, 37 per cent in the Republic of Korea, 34 per cent in Germany, 32 per cent in Spain, 32 per cent in Japan, 28 per cent in Finland, 27 per cent in the United Kingdom, 20 per cent in the Czech Republic, 20 per cent in the United States, 17 per cent in Canada, 5 per cent in Mexico, and 5 per cent in the Netherlands.

The total capacity provided by the 357 reactors now installed is 297.5 Gigawatts (GWe). Another 14 reactors (14.6 GWe) are under construction and four (3.9 GWe) are firmly committed. The total capacity of OECD/NEA nuclear power plants is projected to be about 307 GWe in the year 2000, and 332 GWe in 2010, account being taken of a deduction of 16.8 GWe to be taken out of service by 2010.


Nuclear Energy Data
OECD, Paris 1997
ISBN 92-64- 05520-7

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