Timeline · 1990

The world's nuclear fleet in 1990

In 1990, 430 nuclear reactors were operating in 34 countries, 331.8 GWe net, with 61 under construction.

Compared with 1989, the operating fleet shrank by 5 reactors. 10 reactors were connected to the grid that year, 10,689 MWe, mostly in France (3), Canada (2) and Japan (2). 14 units were permanently shut down, 4,768 MWe. The countries with the most operating capacity were United States (107,364 MWe), France (53,278 MWe) and Japan (30,317 MWe).

Connected to the grid in 1990

UnitCountryTypeModelMWe
Darlington 1Canada CanadaPHWRCANDU 850878
Darlington 2Canada CanadaPHWRCANDU 850878
Cattenom 3France FrancePWRP4 REP 13001,300
Golfech 1France FrancePWRP4 REP 13001,310
Penly 1France FrancePWRP4 REP 13001,330
Kashiwazaki Kariwa 2Japan JapanBWRBWR-51,067
Tomari 2Japan JapanPWRMitsubishi (2-loop)550
Smolensk 1-3Russia RussiaLWGRRBMK-1000925
Comanche Peak 1United States United StatesPWRWH 4-loop (DRY)1,205
Seabrook 1United States United StatesPWRWH 4-Loop (DRY)1,246

Shut down in 1990

UnitCountryTypeModelMWeGrid connection
Chinon A-3France FranceGCRUNGG3601966
Saint-Laurent A-1France FranceGCRUNGG3901969
Greifswald 1Germany GermanyPWRVVER-440/V-2304081973
Greifswald 2Germany GermanyPWRVVER-440/V-2304081974
Greifswald 3Germany GermanyPWRVVER-440/V-2304081977
Greifswald 4Germany GermanyPWRVVER-440/V-2304081979
RheinsbergGermany GermanyPWRVVER-70621966
CaorsoItaly ItalyBWRBWR-4 Mark28601978
Enrico FermiItaly ItalyPWRWH 4-loop2601964
Beloyarsk 2Russia RussiaLWGRAMB-2001461967
Novovoronezh 1-2Russia RussiaPWRVVER V-3653361969
Vandellos 1Spain SpainGCRUNGG4801972
Hunterston A1United Kingdom United KingdomGCRMAGNOX1501964
Winfrith SGHWRUnited Kingdom United KingdomSGHWRSGHWR921967

Countries by operating capacity in 1990

#CountryReactorsMWeUnder construction
1United States United States116107,3643
2France France5553,2788
3Japan Japan4030,31710
4Germany Germany2122,133
5Russia Russia3419,4995
6Ukraine Ukraine1512,8475
7Canada Canada1912,7754
8United Kingdom United Kingdom3711,7711
9Sweden Sweden1211,052
10Spain Spain97,710
11South Korea South Korea97,7012
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
22India India61,0317
23Argentina Argentina29481
24Mexico Mexico17771
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
37Romania 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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