China has 21 nuclear reactors under construction, with a capacity to produce 21.61 gigawatts worth of electricity, as indicated by the International Atomic Energy Agency, substantially outnumbering those of any other country.The Chinese have been motivated to develop nuclear energy to abate their reliance on coal, which has caused substantial environmental damage, and simultaneously due to their need for increased energy production.The United States is striving to revive nuclear energy through the introduction of smaller modular designs, however, it remains to be seen if it can repeat its earlier success in this area, suggest experts.
China is the principal force in new nuclear construction at this juncture. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that 21 reactor builds with a capacity of more than 21 gigawatts are underway in China. That is two and a half times as many as their closest competitors. India is in second place with eight reactors in the works that will generate over 6 gigawatts, while Turkey trails in third with four reactor builds expected to deliver 4.5 gigawatts. The United States is fourth in the rundown with the construction of one reactor (Vogtle power plant in Georgia) which is expected to generate around 1 gigawatt. According to Jacopo Buongiorno, professor of nuclear science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “China is the de facto world leader in nuclear technology at the moment.” This sentiment is echoed by Kenneth Luongo, president and founder of the Partnership for Global Security (a nuclear and transnational security and energy policy non-profit), who claimed that China is "[leading], even racing ahead".The US nuclear industry has been a cornerstone for some time. 93 nuclear reactors are currently operating in the US, providing close to 95 gigawatts of electricity, far more than any other nation. The World Nuclear Association has revealed that many of these reactors can be licensed to run for 60 to 80 years.
France is the runner-up in the number of nuclear reactors in operation, standing at 56 with a capability of producing over 61 gigawatts, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. China follows as a close third, possessing 55 reactors and a capacity of more than 53 gigawatts. Luongo went on to explain CNBC that the United States has lost its spot as the leading power in nuclear energy, a setback that started in the mid-1980s. However, as the U.S. industry started to weaken, China began their own nuclear project and built their first reactor in 1985.
As demand has increased, so has the development of new nuclear reactors, particularly in fast-growing economies that need power to maintain their expansion. Around three-quarters of the nuclear reactors currently under construction are located in countries that are not part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, with half of these being in China. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, China's total energy output has grown significantly from 1,280 terawatt hours in 2000 to 7,600 terawatt hours in 2020. John F. Kotek of the Nuclear Energy Institute has attributed this growth to the need to meet an ever-rising energy demand. Acknowledging this, he has commented that “they haven’t just been building a lot of nuclear, they’ve been building a lot of everything.”
Nuclear energy currently makes up only 5 percent of the country's electrical production, with coal supplying two-thirds, according to the International Energy Agency. However, relying heavily on coal has caused other problems, most notably environmental issues due to air pollution. Consequently, there is now an urgent need to create more "clean" sources of power, according to Kotek. Nuclear energy produces no greenhouse gases, so China is using it to rapidly generate ample amounts of clean energy. Bloomberg reported that the Chinese government is aiming for a record-breaking 150 gigawatts of nuclear capacity in 15 years, which would be the largest expansion ever. This is largely due to their state-funded industry that allows them to construct various nuclear units at lower cost. Being able to provide this much clean energy will have positive global implications, although it does raise geopolitical issues if China begins to export this technology. According to Luongo, this would lead to economic and political dependence on China, similar to the effects of Russia's nuclear capabilities.
According to experts, the U.S. could reclaim some of their former control in the nuclear industry. Recent efforts by the US and Europe to begin constructing nuclear power have met with moderate results. "Seeing as these countries just started to construct nuclear plants within the last 10-15 years, the supply chain and required personnel had essentially vanished, which has produced severe cost and time issues," Buongiorno pointed out. Case in point, the two nuclear reactors constructed at the Vogtle Plant in Georgia have earned the notoriety of taking longer than anticipated and surpassing the original financial plan.
The US is attempting to become a major player in the nuclear energy industry again, with bipartisan support. A Pew Research Center survey revealed that 57 percent of Americans are in favor of more nuclear reactors, compared to 43 percent in 2020. To facilitate this, the US is providing subsidies to promote nuclear energy and selling nuclear reactors to countries in Eastern Europe. The main factor that would impact the US regaining its previous dominance in this space is the success of small modular and advanced reactors, alongside the fuel enrichment capacity they require. These smaller reactors are cheaper and faster to produce due to their modular design. Examples of smaller nuclear reactors include the NuScale small modular reactor, Westinghouse AP300, X-Energy high-temperature gas cooled reactors, and TerraPower Natrium Reactor.
The U.S. has put billions of dollars towards the development and demonstration of small modular reactors, with the end goal being cheaper, and larger options for export. Kotek of the Nuclear Energy Institute has said that these reactors are well-suited to provide heat for industrial processes. The administration has been working on revitalizing the nuclear industry to expand on exporting nuclear technologies, and to be more competitive against China and Russia. In order to take on the competition, the U.S. will need to show success in building reactors at home before they can export them abroad. Both the current and previous administrations have been focused on being internationally competitive in the nuclear industry and the pressure will only increase as demand for clean energy rises. In conclusion, Kotek stated that "We and our close nuclear energy allies are at what I think is just the start of a fierce competition for supremacy in global nuclear energy export markets."
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