At the start of 2008, there were 346 nuclear units connected to the electricity grid in 17 OECD countries. Fourteen nuclear units representing a total capacity of 14.2 GWe are currently under construction in OECD countries: six are being built in the Republic of Korea, three in Japan, two in the Slovak Republic and one each in Finland, France and the United States. Firm commitments have been made for the construction of 13 more reactors, all in the OECD Pacific region. Once completed, the new units will add 31.2 GWe to OECD electricity grids. Twelve units are scheduled to be shut down before 2012: five in Germany, four in the United Kingdom, one in France, one in Japan and one in the Slovak Republic.

Higher uranium prices have stimulated exploration and the re-evaluation of known resources, increasing the global uranium resource base by 15% between 2005 and 2007. Natural uranium production in OECD countries is lower than requirements and as in the past, the gap is being made up by imports and secondary sources. Plans to increase uranium enrichment capacity progressed during 2007 with the ongoing construction of new enrichment facilities in France and the United States.

The figures and information above are drawn from the just-published 2008 edition of Nuclear Energy Data, more commonly known as the “Brown Book”, which gives an overview of the status of, and trends in, nuclear electricity generation and the fuel cycle in OECD countries. The 2008 edition extends its forecasts until 2030. The Brown Book is a widely recognised reference for nuclear energy data.

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Nuclear Energy Data
OECD, Paris, 2008 – ISBN 978-92-64-04796-9
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The unique capabilities of the Halden test reactor have been a major factor in the success of the project. The Halden reactor's unique core design, combined with advanced reactor test rigs, allows many experiments to be conducted simultaneously. These experiments have produced a lot of the nuclear fuel data used today by nuclear regulators, the nuclear industry and research institutions around the world. The project has also been the scene of much ground-breaking work in the field of human-machine interaction. Methods developed to reduce potential human error during nuclear power plant operation and maintenance have been adopted by other industries.

The NEA has applied the experience gained within the project to other nuclear safety research projects in such areas as fuel safety, thermal-hydraulics and severe accidents. The "Halden model" has proved to be a successful format, enabling countries with a common technical interest to carry out research on a highly effective, cost-sharing basis. Ongoing NEA research on the computerised systems of nuclear power plants and the ageing of reactor internals and cables first began in Halden.

The founding agreement of the Halden Reactor Project was signed by seven countries in 1958 and has been revised and renewed every three years since. There are currently 130 organisations from 17 countries participating in the project. In addition to providing financial support, some organisations regularly second research scientists to the project, which is based in the facilities of the Norwegian Institute for Energy Technology in Halden, Norway.

Further details regarding the project are available at: www.nea.fr/html/jointproj/halden.html.