Producing commercially usable energy from nuclear fusion is still closer to science fiction than reality, so it is still worth paying attention to nuclear fission technology.
Today, nuclear energy production in the United States is more than twice that of second-place China and third-place France combined. Overall, the United States accounts for approximately 30 percent of global nuclear energy production. However, nuclear power represents only one-fifth of America's electricity supply. In contrast, in France, which produces 60 percent of its electricity needs in nuclear power plants.
China has rapidly increased its nuclear energy capacity over the past decade. Between 2016 and 2021, for example, its share of global nuclear power generation increased from less than 10% to more than 14%, overtaking France into second place.
In contrast, the UK's share fell to 2 percent over the same period.
Ukraine used to rely heavily on nuclear energy, but in March 2022 it lost control of its main Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant after Russian forces seized the facility. This power station, which includes six 1,000 MW reactors, is one of the largest in Europe. It does not currently generate electricity, and has recently been subjected to drone attacks.
The chart shows the largest nuclear power producers based on their share of the global total, measured in terawatt-hours (TWh). The data comes from the Nuclear Energy Institute.
