<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/nuclear-power-struggling-to-maintain-current-level-of-stagnation-let-alone-achieve-any-growth/>
"The current push in Australia to deploy nuclear power reactors once again
contrasts an excessive optimism by nuclear proponents against the continuing
stagnant situation of nuclear power worldwide. That contrast is the subject of
our new report for the EnergyScience Coalition.
The latest nuclear proposals are built on three speculations.
First, projected AI-related energy demand where – as with nuclear power
proponents in the 1970’s who projected huge demand that never eventuated –
there are already signs demand is overblown. For example the new leading AI
entrant DeepSeek requires just 10 per cent of the energy of competitors.
Second, speculative techno-optimism that new technologies such as small modular
reactors will resolve industry project management issues. Yet these small
reactors are unproven.
Third, prospective wish-fulfilment, where dozens of nuclear ‘newcomer’
countries are offered as saviours, despite not having reactor approvals and
funding in place in a large majority of cases.
So what is the state of nuclear power in 2024? A review by the World Nuclear
Industry Status Report notes that seven new reactors were connected to grids
last year while four reactors were permanently closed. The net increase in
operating nuclear capacity was 4.3 gigawatts (GW).
Worldwide nuclear power capacity was 371 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2024.
That figure is near-identical to capacity of 368 GW two decades earlier in
2005.
As of 1 January 2025, the mean age of the nuclear power reactor fleet was 32.1
years. In 1990, the mean age was just 11.3 years. Due to the ageing of the
reactor fleet, the International Atomic Energy Agency projects the closure of
325 GW of nuclear capacity from 2018 to 2050 – that’s 88 per cent of current
worldwide capacity. Thus the industry faces a daunting challenge just to
maintain its pattern of stagnation, let alone achieve any growth."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
