Nuclear Power 10 Years After Fukushima: The Long Road Back

The road back for nuclear power was built on actions taken at the national and international levels to share factual information on the real impact of the Fukushima Daiichi accident and further strengthen nuclear safety, combined with ongoing innovations in reactor design and performance and the long-term operation (LTO) of existing plants. Meanwhile, efforts accelerated in the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), including the deployment of the first SMRs. Around 30 countries are working with the IAEA to explore the introduction of nuclear power for the first time. Bangladesh and Turkey are building their first reactors while Belarus and the UAE started generating nuclear electricity last year, demonstrating the important role that newcomer countries will play in the future of nuclear power. In 2013, nuclear generation began expanding again, beginning seven successive years of growth until it reached its second highest level ever of 2657 TWh in 2019.