France nuclear power statistics

Nuclear power is the main source of electricity in France, accounting for around 78% of its total electricity, which is the highest percentage in the world.

France accounts for almost half (47%) of total EU's nuclear electricity.

France currently has 59 operational nuclear reactors with total capacity of over 63 GWe.

In the last 20 years France has invested over $160 billion in the development of domestic nuclear power industry.

Only United States has more nuclear power capacity installed than France. France currently accounts for 15,8% of total world's nuclear electricity.

Majority of nuclear reactors in France belong to 900 MWe class (34 of them), and most of them were built in 1970s and the early 1980s.

Strong nuclear power sector is the main reason why France is the world's largest net exporter of electricity.

France imports most of the uranium from Canada and Niger.

Despite the strong nuclear power sector around 70% of the total energy consumed in France still comes from fossil fuels.

Thanks to its nuclear power plants, France's CO2 emissions per kWh are less than 1/10 that of Germany and the UK.

Global nuclear energy statistics

In 2009 nuclear power accounted for little less than 14% of world's electricity.

Nuclear power also provides close to 6,5% of total world's energy.

France produces the highest percentage of its electrical energy from nuclear reactors, around 78%.

US, France and Japan account for little more than 56% of total world's generated electricity.

An average nuclear reactor produces approximately 20 cubic meters (about 27 tonnes) of spent nuclear fuel each year.

As of 2007, the United States had accumulated more than 50,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from nuclear reactors.

The United States currently has 104 operating nuclear reactors, France has 59 operating reactors, while Japan currently has 54 operating reactors.

In the EU nuclear energy provides 30% of the electricity, of course this is mostly because of nuclear reactors in France.

In United States nuclear power industry has worth of over $18 billion.

In 2009 the costs of building new nuclear plant in US ranged from $6 to $10 billion.

Uranium is the most common nuclear fuel. World's largest uranium producer is Kazakhstan with 27,3%, followed by Canada with 20.1% and Australia with 15.7%.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Japan is the largest nuclear generating station in the world by net electrical power rating.