Nuclear power reactors worldwide cranked out a record 2,667 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity during 2024, according to a report released this week by the World Nuclear Association.
That is up slightly from the prior high of 2,660 TWh during 2006, according to the report released Monday Sept. 1.
The global reactor fleet ran at an average capacity factor of 83% in 2024, which is higher than coal and other electric power sources, according to the World Nuclear Association report. The nuclear capacity factor is also up from 82% in 2023, according to the report.
Building was completed on seven new reactors that connected to the grid during 2024, according to the report. China led the way with three new reactors while France, India, the United Arab Emirates and the United States all added one apiece. The U.S. facility was Southern Co.’s Vogtle Unit 4 in Georgia.
There are 70 reactors currently under construction internationally, and nine of them started construction in 2024, according to the World Nuclear Association report.
“With the backing of bold global industry leaders, forward-thinking governments, and an increasingly engaged public, the path to tripling nuclear capacity is not only achievable; it is necessary,” Sama Bilbao y León, director general of World Nuclear Association said in a summary of the report. “This is our chance to build a cleaner, more secure energy future for everyone everywhere, powered by reliable, low-carbon nuclear energy,” León said.
The London-based World Nuclear Association relies upon public information from the International Atomic Energy Agency and other sources as the basis for its report.
This is the latest report, following the recent research from the Paris-based Nuclear Energy Agency, to tout international growth in nuclear power.
