Nuclear Energy in Asia: An Overview

Abstract

Nuclear power has been used as a source of energy for more than half a century and it has recently found its new significance in some developing countries. Politicians and those concerned about energy security and climate change are looking at nuclear for a solution. While in many developed countries the debate is whether they should phase out their nuclear energy programmes, revive them or start building new nuclear power plants (NPP), in developing countries, especially those in Asia, the issue is how, rather than whether, to build or expand their nuclear energy programmes. There is an overwhelming sense of urgency to deal with the twin challenges – energy security and climate change – which have brought about different assessments of the benefits and risks of nuclear energy. In many Asian countries, nuclear energy does not represent an imminent danger of nuclear proliferation or creating an unsolvable problem of highly radioactive nuclear wastes (Norris 1994; Frankel 1995; Dittmer 2005). Instead, nuclear energy is presented by politicians, scientists and energy specialists as an alternative source of unlimited and clean energy that would allow countries such as China or India to continue economic development with sufficient energy supplies while alleviating their energy poverty, reducing their energy security vulnerability, easing the pressure of rising energy prices and abating environmental pollution.KeywordsNuclear Power PlantInternational Atomic Energy AgencyNuclear EnergyElectricity ConsumptionInternational Energy AgencyThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.