World Nuclear Power Scene in 2015

摘要

In the world context, nuclear power is maintaining its role in providing clean base-load power in 31 countries, with setbacks in a few countries more than matched by strong progress in east Asia (apart from Japan).In North America, while natural gas prices remain low, some nuclear plants are uneconomic, but this situation seems unlikely to persist, and there is increasing recognition of the vital role of base-load plants as subsidised renewable inputs increase. In Europe the challenges are political more than economic, and the future of nuclear will be affected by whether there is a level playing field for zero carbon sources of electricity. Elsewhere, economics coupled with prudent energy security governs policy, plus a yearning for clean air in China.Reactor technology continues to improve steadily, but with little investment in research and development the much-hyped new age of very different reactor designs remains in the 2020s. Small reactors may be a growth area if they are not regulated to death.While there is clear and timely progress on disposal of high-level nuclear wastes, notably used fuel, there is also an emerging consensus that used fuel is too valuable just to bury, and most of it needs to be recycled. It is exciting that a South Australian proposal is built on just that: using fast reactors to recycle what many governments view as simply intractable waste. Its advocates envisage transforming the state economy in the process.Even where fearmongering over several decades has gained traction, there is increasing recognition that nuclear power has an indispensible role in the energy future of most countries, despite the increasing tendency of populist politics to sideline rational consideration in all areas of energy policy.