By November 2011 there were 433 nuclear power plants in operation world­wide with a total installed generating capacity of 367 gigawatts (GWe). There were 65 plants under construction with a combined capacity of 62.6 GWe. In 2010 the global fleet of nuclear generating stations produced 2630 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity or about 13.5% of total supply.

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The first decade of the twenty-first century was a paradoxical period for nuclear power. Projections of future growth were revised upwards year by year even though global installed nuclear generating capacity did not grow materially and actually declined after 2007 as several plants were retired and no new reactors were connected to the grid in 2008. It was the first year since 1955 without at least one new reactor coming on-line. There were, however, 10 construction starts, the most since 1987. In 2009 installed nuclear capacity dropped yet again, the first two-year drop in nuclear power’s history, with three reactors being retired and only two new ones connected to the grid. But the projections for nuclear power growth by reputable international organizations were again revised upward, by about 8%, even as the world was still dealing with the financial and economic crises that started in late 2008. One reason for the higher projections was that construction starts on new reactors also increased. There were 11 new construction starts (see Fig. 15.1), extending a continuous upward trend that started in 2003. With 16 construction starts, the year 2010 witnessed a con­tinuation of this trend and the 67 plants under construction at the end of 2010 is the highest number since 1987.

Then again, the share of nuclear-generated electricity in global supplies has been slipping throughout the twenty-first century. In 2009 it was just below the 14% mark (down from 16.8% in 2000) and many analysts have interpreted this as a clear sign of a nuclear demise as nuclear capacity growth was routinely outpaced by total capacity growth. Still, in 2010 every

seventh kilowatt-hour (kWh) produced globally is generated by nuclear power.

The short-term reality of declining market shares is in juxtaposition with the interest expressed by more than 60 countries currently without nuclear energy to add the technology to their national energy supply portfolio (IAEA, 2010).