ES
Timeline · 1989

The world's nuclear fleet in 1989

In 1989, 435 nuclear reactors were operating in 34 countries, 326.9 GWe net, with 65 under construction.

Compared with 1988, the operating fleet grew by 13 reactors. 12 reactors were connected to the grid that year, 10,792 MWe, mostly in United States (3), Germany (2) and Ukraine (2). 7 units were permanently shut down, 3,095 MWe. Mexico connected its first nuclear reactor in 1989. The countries with the most operating capacity were United States (103,779 MWe), France (52,698 MWe) and Japan (28,183 MWe).

Connected to the grid in 1989

UnitCountryTypeModelMWe
Greifswald 5Germany GermanyPWRVVER-440/V-213408
Neckarwestheim 2Germany GermanyPWRKonvoi (KWU)1,310
Narora 1India IndiaPHWR202
Kashiwazaki Kariwa 5Japan JapanBWRBWR-51,067
Laguna Verde 1Mexico MexicoBWRBWR-5777
Hanul 2South Korea South KoreaPWRCP1 (France)957
South Ukraine 3Ukraine UkrainePWRVVER V-320950
Zaporizhzhia 5Ukraine UkrainePWRVVER V-320950
Torness 2United Kingdom United KingdomGCRAGR605
Alvin W Vogtle 2United States United StatesPWRWH 4-Loop (DRY)1,152
Limerick 2United States United StatesBWRBWR-4 (Mark 2)1,134
South Texas 2United States United StatesPWRWH 4-loop (DRY)1,280

Shut down in 1989

UnitCountryTypeModelMWeGrid connection
Armenian 1Armenia ArmeniaPWRVVER V-2703761976
Greifswald 5Germany GermanyPWRVVER-440/V-2134081989
Berkeley 1United Kingdom United KingdomGCRMagnox1381962
Hunterston A2United Kingdom United KingdomGCRMAGNOX1501964
Fort St. VrainUnited States United StatesHTGRGeneral Atomics3301976
Rancho Seco 1United States United StatesPWRWH (DRY)8731974
ShorehamUnited States United StatesBWRGE8201986

Countries by operating capacity in 1989

#CountryReactorsMWeUnder construction
1United States United States113103,7796
2France France5652,6989
3Japan Japan3828,18310
4Germany Germany2623,827
5Russia Russia3519,0566
6Ukraine Ukraine1512,8475
7United Kingdom United Kingdom3912,0131
8Canada Canada1811,8975
9Sweden Sweden1211,052
10Spain Spain108,190
11South Korea South Korea97,7011
12Belgium Belgium75,922
13Taiwan Taiwan65,052
14Switzerland Switzerland53,346
15Finland Finland42,794
16Bulgaria Bulgaria52,6351
17Lithuania Lithuania22,370
18Hungary Hungary41,916
19Czech Republic Czech Republic41,9072
20South Africa South Africa21,854
21Slovakia Slovakia41,7484
22Italy Italy21,120
23India India61,0315
24Argentina Argentina29481
25Slovenia Slovenia1696
26Philippines Philippines1621
27Brazil Brazil16091
28Netherlands Netherlands2537
29Armenia Armenia1416
30Pakistan Pakistan190
31Kazakhstan Kazakhstan152
32 Puerto Rico118
33 Panama110
34North Korea North Korea15
35China China003
36Iran Iran001
37Mexico Mexico002
38Romania Romania002

Data: Global Energy Monitor (CC BY 4.0), IAEA PRIS 2025, Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons. Capacities in net MWe unless stated.

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