During the last 5 years, the world has been burning more nuclear fuel to produce electrical power. At the global level, the increase in nuclear electricity output has been modest — it went from about 2.6 trillion kWh in 2006 up to 2.635 trillion kWh in 2010, at a low annual average rate of 0.1%.

However, the data show a clear dichotomy between those countries where nuclear power surged significantly, and other countries where it was put on hold or even reduced. The former include Romania (average annual growth 19.8%), India (average annual growth 7.1%), Finland (average annual growth 6.6%), South Africa (average annual growth 6.3%), and China (average annual growth 5.7%).

Lithuania stopped its Chernobyl-class nuclear plant, thus reducing by 100% its production of nuclear electricity. Countries such as Germany, Sweden or Switzerland have decreased significantly their nuclear electricity output. In 2011, after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, both Germany and Switzerland have decided to phase out completely their nuclear power capacity, a step that may be also taken by other nuclear powers.

On 1 July 2011, the status of the world nuclear industry encompasses 440 nuclear power reactors in operation with a total net installed capacity of 374.206 GW(e), 5 nuclear power reactors in long term shutdown, and 65 nuclear power reactors under construction. We are regularly reassured that these hundreds of reactors are safe, secure, and under close and rigorous monitoring. However, with the benefit of hindsight, we should remember that the owner of Fukushima, Tepco, as well as the Japanese officials in charge stated repeatedly all along several decades that their reactors were safe, secure, well maintained and risk-free; these were blatant lies that bowing in apologetic style could not and would not erase. Why should we suppose that the owners and overseers of all those hundreds of reactors behave more respectfully of the truth ? We must not allow new Fukushima-like or worse nuclear catastrophes to be crafted under wrong premises and fallacious allegations.

Addiction to energy consumption should not be mistaken for a valid rationale for promoting the continuous upscaling of nuclear capacity. If the energy-deprived Germany and Switzerland can do without nuclear power, other nations can. Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima, not to mention less-publicized military nuclear accidents, build an object demonstration that the nuclear risk is far too big to be indulged.

Sources: EIA – Energy Information Administration, IAEA – PRIS – Power Reactor Information System, and WNA – World Nuclear Association.

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