Rapid development of nuclear energy in Asia 

Sources: World Nuclear Association, The Irrawaddy magazine, eco-business.com

According to the World Nuclear Association, Asia is the main region worldwide where nuclear power is growing significantly. As of April 2010 in East and South Asia, there are 112 nuclear power reactors in operation, 37 under construction and concrete plans to build a further 84. The greatest growth in nuclear generation is expected in China, Japan, South Korea and India. Currently, 36% of South Korea’s electricity is nuclear-generated, 25% of Japan’s, and 17% of Taiwan’s. China, India and Pakistan get just 2% of their electricity from nuclear power although China and India plan to boost those shares in coming decades.

One of the attractions of nuclear power is the low running costs despite the high capital cost. Global supplies of uranium fuel are plentiful and the amount of imported fuel for an average-sized plant is usually not more than 150 tons - enough to produce a supply of electricity for one or two years before some of the fuel has to be replaced. Increasingly, Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand are also exploring the nuclear option to keep up with escalating power demand in a region of more than half a billion people.