Global nuclear power production 1985-2023

Global nuclear power generation reached 2,552 terawatt-hours in 2023, a year-over-year increase of nearly three percent. Figures have seen a mostly increasing trend since 2012 but decreased in 2020 and 2022. 

The global nuclear landscape

Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March 2011, some countries such as Germany vowed to phase-out or limit nuclear power for energy production. Nevertheless, nuclear power generation has been steadily increasing since 2013, surpassing pre-Fukushima levels in 2019 at 2.66 petawatt-hours. Still, some countries remain staunchly opposed to building nuclear power facilities. Overall, more nuclear power reactors have shut down in recent years, and the global nuclear capacity dropped from 389.5 in 2021 to 372 in 2023. 

Largest consumers of nuclear energy

Consumption of nuclear power varies widely across the world, with the United States, China, and France making up more than 58 percent of the world’s global consumption. Many reactors in the United States began construction by 1974, but little changed until the 2010s when new reactors were approved for construction. In turn, the vast majority of nuclear power reactors in the United States are at least 30 years old in 2023. Meanwhile, in France, nuclear power is the leading source of electricity, accounting for a 65 percent share of electricity production.