Nuclear energy was the second-largest single source of electricity in Europe, covering around 20 percent of the
in 2023. Nevertheless, both
and its contribution to the power mix have declined over the past two decades. Despite the urgency to replace fossil fuels with clean energy sources, public policy regarding nuclear power in the region varies greatly by country, on account of the significant inherent risks like long-term storage of radioactive waste, the potential for devastating accidents, and the associated costs and timelines for the construction of new nuclear facilities.
Diverging nuclear energy policies in Europe
The prominent role of nuclear energy in Europe was strongly questioned by many governments following the nuclear disasters that took place in Chernobyl, Ukraine, and Fukushima Daiichi, Japan, in April 1986 and March 2011, respectively. In a bold response, Italy and Lithuania shut down their operational reactors between 1990 and 2009. As of July 2024, 13 of the
European countries with an active nuclear energy program were not planning the construction of new units. After Italy in 1987 and Lithuania in 2009, Germany
phased out nuclear energy in April 2023. However, many European nations still derive a significant
share of their domestic electricity generation from nuclear energy. For example, France relies on nuclear power for almost 65 percent of its electricity generation. This country has the second-highest number of
operable nuclear reactors worldwide and an additional reactor under construction. Other countries such as Slovakia, Hungary, and Belgium also source more than 40 percent of their electricity from nuclear sources.
An uncertain future for nuclear power in Europe
While some of the
largest nuclear power reactors under construction worldwide were located in Europe as of July 2024, the future of nuclear power on the continent is uncertain. Only Turkey, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Slovakia, and Ukraine had one or more
reactors under construction that year. Nuclear power consumption in the European Union is projected to decrease in various scenarios over the next few decades, as countries continue their phase-out and the
operational lifetime of existing reactors comes to an end. This trajectory is not set in stone, however. As countries strive to reach their target of net-zero emissions by 2050 and to emancipate themselves from fossil energy sources after the energy crisis in 2022, nuclear power may play a pivotal role in European energy policy in the years to come.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
