Prospects for Nuclear

Concerns over security of energy supply and climate change have revived interest in nuclear power in some countries. Accordingly, the WEO 2006 dedicates a special chapter on nuclear power. The chapter first discusses projections of nuclear generation capacity worldwide up to 2030 on a country and regional basis in the Reference and Alternative Policy Scenarios. It examines the policy issues associated with nuclear energy, such as nuclear waste, public acceptance and proliferation. The chapter also studies the economics of nuclear power compared to other sources of base load power generation, paying particular attention to potential barriers to new nuclear build in liberalised markets, and examining how governments and regulators can facilitate new privately financed nuclear power plants. Finally, the chapter provides an analysis of uranium and nuclear production and reserves up to 2030. The work benefited from close cooperation with the IAEA, NEA and industry.