NUCLEAR POWER WORLDWIDE GAINING MOMENTUM
Improved economics, concerns over energy security, and the pressure to limit emissions of greenhouse gases are promoting nuclear power's fortunes broadly around the world. Asian nations have been the most aggressive in their pursuit of nuclear power over the past decade and have become the center of growth for the global nuclear industry. Western Europe and North America also show signs of renewed interest.
- While debate continues as to whether nuclear power will "come back," the facts demonstrate that it never went away. Some 38 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity-47 plants-have come online since 2000 or are under construction.
- China, India, Japan, Russia, and South Korea all plan to expand substantially their use of nuclear power in the coming decade.
- The course of nuclear energy's resurgence will depend on industry's ability to maintain its strong performance and assemble billions of dollars to finance new reactors. Governments' progress on permanent disposal of nuclear wastes and on limiting the spread of nuclear weapons will be equally important for public acceptance of the technology.
