There are approximately 440 operating nuclear reactors in 31 countries around the world.
The countries with the largest number of operating nuclear reactors are the United States, France, China, Russia, and South Korea. However, some countries, such as Germany and Japan, have decided to phase out their nuclear power plants in the coming years, while other countries, such as India and Russia, are continuing to expand their nuclear power programs.
It’s important to know that one nuclear power plant can have several reactors which will give the plant more capacity for producing power.
The country with the most nuclear power stations (or nuclear power plants) is the United States, with 56 nuclear power stations and 93 operating nuclear reactors.
Europe had a total of 184 operating nuclear reactors in 14 countries.
The countries with the most nuclear reactors were France with 56, followed by Russia with 38, Ukraine with 15, the United Kingdom with 15, and Sweden with 7. Other countries, such as Poland, are considering the construction of their first nuclear power plants.
The risks
There have been three major nuclear disasters in history:
- The Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine in 1986, which was the worst nuclear disaster in history.
- The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011, which was caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami.
- The Three Mile Island accident in the United States in 1979, which was caused by a partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor.
These three disasters are considered the most significant nuclear accidents to have occurred, although there have been other nuclear incidents and accidents that have resulted in varying degrees of radiation exposure and environmental contamination.
The long-term health effects of radiation exposure can be significant and far-reaching.
The most serious nuclear accidents in history are the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine in 1986 and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Chernobyl disaster caused 31 immediate deaths from radiation exposure, and an estimated 4,000 additional deaths from cancer caused by the release of radioactive materials. The WHO also estimates that over time, the number of deaths resulting from the Chernobyl disaster may reach up to 9,000.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster resulted in no immediate deaths from radiation exposure, but the WHO estimates that there may be up to 2,000 deaths from cancer caused by the release of radioactive materials.
The long-term health effects of nuclear accidents are difficult to estimate, and the actual number of deaths may be quite different. The WHO estimates may be wildly inaccurate, depending on agendas at play.
Storage of waste is the greatest risk
It is the storage of nuclear waste that poses the greatest risk for humanity and the planet as a whole.
The storage of nuclear waste varies by country, but generally, it is stored in either temporary or more permanent storage facilities.
Those countries that store their nuclear waste in temporary storage facilities, have solutions that are designed to hold the waste for a relatively short period of time, typically a few decades. These facilities can include spent fuel pools, dry cask storage, or above-ground concrete structures.
Other countries, including Finland and Sweden, have constructed permanent storage facilities known as deep geological repositories. These repositories are located deep underground, typically in stable rock formations, and are designed to potentially contain nuclear waste for thousands of years.
Interestingly, the country with the most nuclear reactors, the USA has only a temporary solution for it’s waste. Currently, the spent nuclear fuel produced by nuclear power plants in the US is stored on site in large, steel and concrete casks, which they say are designed to prevent radiation leaks and withstand natural disasters, including earthquakes and hurricanes. Attempts to find a site to deep bury it’s nuclear waste has met with fierce resistance from locals and other groups.
The issue of nuclear waste management remains a complex and politically charged issue in the United States.
Some countries see the risks and are phasing nuclear out while others want more
In 2021 there were 6 operating nuclear power stations with a total of 9 operating nuclear reactors in Japan. Though, it’s worth noting that Japan has been in the process of phasing out its nuclear power plants since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011. In the aftermath of the disaster, all of Japan’s nuclear reactors were shut down for safety inspections, and many have not been restarted due to regulatory and public opposition. Japan has been exploring alternative sources of energy, such as renewables and natural gas, to replace the nuclear power capacity that has been lost.
Countries that are prone to earthquakes are looking seriously at the risks invoolved.
Many third world countries are eyeing nuclear power as a way to solve their energy needs. For example, there are several nuclear power plants under construction in Africa.
South Africa has the only operating nuclear power plant on the continent, the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, which has two reactors with a combined capacity of 1,940 megawatts.
The nuclear waste generated by the Koeberg plant consists primarily of spent nuclear fuel, which is highly radioactive and requires careful handling and storage to prevent contamination of the environment and harm to human health. As with most other countries, the spent fuel is stored in large, sealed steel containers that they say are designed to withstand a variety of hazards, including earthquakes and severe weather events.
The storage facility at Koeberg is located on site and is subject to strict regulatory oversight and monitoring by the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) of South Africa. The facility is designed to safely contain the nuclear waste for the lifetime of the Koeberg plant, which is expected to be 40 years. After that, the fate of the waste is unknown.
Wars increase the risks in the extreme
As was seen recently in the Ukraine, with bombs exploding around and even on The Zaporizhzhia NPP which is the largest nuclear complex in Ukraine and Europe, with 6 operating reactors, wars and nuclear power do not go well together.
Ukraine had a total of 4 operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) with a total of 15 operating nuclear reactors. All are in danger in the war torn country.
Overall
The effects of human exposure to nuclear contamination can last for many generations, depending on the type of exposure and the amount and duration of the exposure.
Exposure to ionizing radiation from a nuclear accident or incident can damage DNA and other cellular structures, leading to an increased risk of cancer, genetic mutations, and other health problems. These effects can be passed on to future generations, as DNA mutations can be inherited and can lead to a higher risk of genetic diseases and disorders.
The long-term effects of nuclear contamination can also depend on the type of radioactive material involved, as different types of radiation can have different effects on the body and the environment. For example, some radioactive isotopes have longer half-lives, which means they remain radioactive for longer periods of time and can continue to emit radiation for many years or even centuries.
Overall, the effects of exposure to nuclear contamination can last for many generations, and it is important to take steps to minimize the risk of nuclear accidents and incidents, as well as to develop effective strategies for managing and mitigating the long-term effects of nuclear contamination.
The long term effects of the mismanagement of nuclear waste and the danger of earthquakes and wars and accidents, make the use nuclear power plants a very debatable subject.