§ 43. Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total number of nuclear reactors operating worldwide and the total amount of electricity demand met by them; and if he will estimate the total quantity of greenhouse gases that would be produced as a result of replacing them with coal-fired power stations.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerI understand from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that at the end of 1988 there were 429 nuclear reactors operating worldwide. Comprehensive figures for electricity generation are not yet available for 1988, hut, in 1987, nuclear power generated 1,625 billion kw hours of electricity, equivalent to the output from 211 pressurised water reactors (PWRs) of the Sizewell B type.
It is difficult to be precise when estimating the increase in greenhouse gas production if nuclear power is replaced by coal worldwide but, on current figures, carbon dioxide (CO2) output would increase by about 1.3 billion tonnes per year, or 35 per cent. of the present global contribution due to coal-fired electricity generation.