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The percentage of nuclear energy in the global electricity mix has been fairly stable between 10 and 11 per cent in recent years, but fell below the 10 per cent mark in 2022 for the first time in 40 years. Nevertheless, reactors are being built in a number of countries, new reactor concepts are being developed and the operating lives of existing reactors are being extended. The most important argument is usually the low CO2 balance of the base-load energy form. With our country dossiers, which we will publish here in the coming weeks and months, we would like to give an overview of the current developments in Europe and neighbouring countries. A good introduction and overview of the overall situation is provided by our dossier "Nuclear Energy Worldwide", which we update at the beginning of each year.
• Poland plans to build six NPP units, the first of which is scheduled to go into operation in 2033.
• The government plans to use high-temperature reactors for industrial heat generation and to build a pilot plant.
• Polish industrial companies cooperate with foreign partners towards the use of SMRs, and the first applications for preliminary assessment have already been submitted.
• Siemens and Framatome have been building the European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR) in Flamanville since 2007. Completion is planned for 2024.
• In addition to the expansion of renewable energies, France's multi-annual energy plan (Programmation pluriannuelle de l'énergie – PPE) also provides for an extension of the lifetimes of existing nuclear power plants and the construction of six new EPR2 reactors at existing sites. In addition, the implementation of eight further new constructions is being examined.
• With NUWARD, the construction of an SMR prototype is to start in 2030.
• The share of nuclear energy in electricity generation is to be reduced to 50 % by 2035.
What has happened in the field of nuclear energy last year? What developments can be observed internationally? As in the previous year, in 2022, a total of six new reactor units were connected to the grid. On the other hand, five units have been decommissioned, three of them in the UK alone. Accordingly, the installed net electrical capacity increased by 4,089 MW to 378,314 MW.
• The Dutch government is seeking to extend the operating life of the currently only NPP beyond 2033 and to build two new NPP units.
• A new research reactor, PALLAS, is planned to be built in Petten to replace the one still in operation there.
• Two Dutch companies intend to deploy SMR in the Netherlands together with foreign partners.
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Many renewable energies feed electricity into the grid dependent on wind and weather. If the amount of energy generated in this way is higher than the demand, there is an oversupply. If the power grids cannot absorb the oversupply, it frequently happens that wind and solar power plants have to be shut down. Power-to-gas technology offers a way to convert surplus electricity into hydrogen by means of electrolysis.
• In the Czech Republic, six pressurised water reactors generate more than a third of the country’s total electricity.
• According to the State Energy Policy (SEP), the role of nuclear power is to be enhanced to become the most important form of electricity generation in the medium term.
• It is planned to expand nuclear power to meet the country's CO2 targets; in addition to another conventional nuclear power plant unit, SMRs are also planned.
• Sweden operates a total of six nuclear power plants (NPPs) at Ringhals, Forsmark and Oskarshamn, which together cover about 40% of the country's electricity generation.
• In October 2022, the government asked the operator Vattenfall to examine the possible restart of Ringhals 1 and 2 and to prepare for the construction of new reactors. In addition, lifetime extension until 2060 is being examined for Ringhals 3 and 4.
• The operator of the decommissioned Barsebäck NPP is considering building a new NPP near the existing site.
• A power increase of 100 megawatts (MW) is currently being implemented for Forsmark 1.
• Regarding the development and use of small modular reactors (SMRs), the country has concluded several cooperation agreements with companies and commissioned a pilot study.
• In Slovenia, the only nuclear reactor at the Krško site contributes 37% of the country's net electricity generation.
• The operating life of the Krško NPP was extended in January 2023 by 20 years until 2043.
• Nuclear power is to be expanded to meet the country's CO2 targets; in addition to another conventional nuclear power plant unit, small modular reactors (SMRs) are also planned.