Nuclear power in developing countries

The paper is intended as a companion to similar papers by OECD/NEA and CMEA and summarizes the nuclear power system plans of developing IAEA Member States most likely to have nuclear programmes before the year 2000. The information presented is derived from various sources such as the IAEA's 1974 study of the market for nuclear power in developing countries, the annual publication ''Power Reactors in Member States - 1976 Edition'', various nuclear power planning studies carried out by the Agency during the period 1975 and 1976, direct correspondence with selected Member States and published information in the open literature. A preliminary survey of the prospects for nuclear power in Member States not belonging to the OECD or having centrally planned economies indicates that about 27 of these countries may have operating nuclear power plants by the end of the century. It appears that the 1974 estimates of installed capacity till 2000 were too high for a number of reasons. These include: (1) the diminished growth in electrical demand that has occurred in many Member States during the last several years; (2) the extremely high cost of nuclear plant construction, which has placed financial burdens on countries with existing nuclear programmes; (3) the present lack of commercially available small and medium power reactors, which many of the smaller Member States would need in order to expand their electric power systems; and (4) the growing awareness of Member States that more attention should be paid to exploitation of indigenous energy sources. (author)