Question : POWER GENERATION

(a) the names of the countries in which electricity is generated by atomic energy sector;

(b) the percentage of electricity generated in this way out of the total electricity generated globally, country-wise particularly in America, China, England, Japan, Germany, Canada, Russia, France, India etc.;

(c) whether power generation through atomic energy is being reduced globally;

(d) if so, the percentage of electricity generated by this sector globally out of total electricity generated in the year 1990-1991 and its estimated percentage as on date; and

(e) the reasons for discouraging this sector globally for power generation?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (Dr. JITENDRA SINGH) :

(a) Electricity is generated from nuclear power presently in 31 countries viz. Argentina, Armenia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

(b) Nuclear power plants provide over 11% of the world`s electricity production. List of countries with share of nuclear power in their total electricity generation in 2013 is attached as Annexure.

(c) No, Sir. Most countries with nuclear power programme are continuing with their Nuclear Power programme. Currently 439 reactors with total capacity 376946 MW are under operation in 31 countries. There are presently 69 nuclear power reactors with an aggregate capacity of 66125 MW under various stages of construction in the world.

(d) The percentage share of nuclear energy in the total electricity generation depends on the total generation of electricity from all sources. Therefore, percentage share of electricity gene- ration is not an accurate indicator. The generation of electricity globally from nuclear power has grown from 1890 Billion Units (BU) of electricity in 1990 to 2359 BU in 2013. The share of nuclear in the total electricity generation in 1990 was about 16% and its present share is about 11%.

(e) The nuclear power generation requires high level of technology development in the country like infrastructure, local industry, regulatory frame- work etc. and is presently available mostly in advanced countries, where there is little or no growth in electricity demand. The growth in nu- clear generation has not been proportional to that of other modes.