Top countries using nuclear power for electricity

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

As the world gradually shifts away from fossil fuels, cleaner energy sources are stepping in: solar, wind, hydropower, and, yes, even nuclear. Like renewables, nuclear power produces minimal CO₂ and helps reduce air pollution. But while some countries are doubling down on it, others are pulling the plug.

Despite its low emissions, nuclear energy hasn’t experienced steady growth over the past two decades. In fact, by 2024 its share of global electricity production reached a new low for this century. Worldwide, it remains a divisive issue that sparks ongoing debate.

So, how much of the world’s energy still comes from nuclear power, and is that number growing or shrinking? Click through this gallery to find out.

Nuclear power's early rise

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

Nuclear power, much like hydropower, is one of our oldest clean energy sources. It saw its start in the 1960s and boomed in the ’70s through the ’90s, marking a major chapter in low-carbon energy history.

Fallout after Fukushima

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

Nuclear output dropped sharply after Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster, as safety fears prompted many countries to shut down plants or pause expansion plans.

A global fleet

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

As of the moment, 413 nuclear reactors are running worldwide, with an average age of about 32 years, according to the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS).

Powering the transition

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

Since nuclear energy is key to the clean energy shift, meeting rising demand means building more capacity. By late 2024, global nuclear power hit 396 gigawatts (GW), with nearly 300 GW more underway or planned.

A modest slice of the pie

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

Today, nuclear energy makes up about 9% of the world’s electricity—a steady, if not dominant, player in the global power mix. In the following slides, we look at the countries leading in nuclear power generation.

China holds last place

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

Alongside renewables, nuclear energy is key to China’s CO₂ reduction goals. The current five-year plan highlights continued investment, with more new reactors slated for construction to boost the country’s clean energy mix.

Japan’s nuclear comeback

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

Before Fukushima, Japan had 54 reactors powering nearly 30% of its electricity. After the disaster, all shut down. But as of present, 12 reactors have restarted, marking a slow return to nuclear energy amid ongoing safety concerns.

The UK's nuclear-powered future

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

In 2024, the UK generated 37.3 TWh from nuclear power, covering about 14% of its electricity needs. While not fully reliant on reactors, nuclear remains a steady part of the energy equation.

Russia’s nuclear fleet

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

In 2024, Russia produced about 18–20% of its electricity from 36 nuclear reactors, averaging 29.1 years in age. The country has expanded its fleet with nine new reactors over the past decade, including the floating Akademik Lomonosov.

South Korea’s nuclear ambitions

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

South Korea’s 26 reactors generated 32.5% of the country’s electricity in 2024, according to the Korea Power Exchange. The government aims to boost nuclear's share to 35% by 2036, signaling a strong commitment to this low-carbon source.

The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

Six pressurized water reactors supply about 41% of the Czech Republic’s electricity. In 2024, nuclear power made up roughly 37% of the country’s cleaner energy mix, generating around 31.0 TWh to meet its electricity demand.

Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

In 2024, Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Power Plant generated 16,016.6 GWh, making up nearly half (47.1%) of the country’s electricity production and covering 35.8% of its total electricity consumption.

Ukraine: second place

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

Remarkably, amidst the hardships of war and ongoing threats to its energy infrastructure, Ukraine proudly holds second place in the world for nuclear power production. In 2024, its nuclear power plants produced around 7.8 GW, covering 60% of the nation's electricity needs and 40% of total power capacity.

France: global leader in nuclear power production

Nuclear power's early rise, Fallout after Fukushima, A global fleet, Powering the transition, A modest slice of the pie, China holds last place, Japan’s nuclear comeback, The UK's nuclear-powered future, Russia’s nuclear fleet, South Korea’s nuclear ambitions, The Czech Republic’s nuclear balance, Hungary’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, Ukraine: second place, France: global leader in nuclear power production

The country relies heavily on nuclear power, making it the cornerstone of its energy strategy. With a strong reactor fleet providing reliable electricity and keeping emissions low, France sets a global standard for efficient, low-carbon energy production.

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