Despite mounting public outcry over security of nuclear plants, India’s trust in the nuclear energy option is official now. But by its own admission, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had said late last year that the development of the nuclear energy globally had been lacklustre. A few months before the Japan shock, in his yearly report submitted in September last year to the Board of Governors, General Conference, IAEA director general Yukiya Amano admit to the rather lacklustre presentation of nuclear energy globally. He said, “The split of nuclear energy grew from just below 0.5% in 1970 to above 7% in the 1990s and declined to 5.7% by 2008.”
Further, he pointed out, “Over the past two years the payment of nuclear generation to world electricity manufacture has declined from 15% to less than 14%, mainly due to a rise in total electricity generation worldwide without an amplify of nuclear generation.” The IAEA director general’s report further evidenced the lack of any particular growth pattern in usage of nuclear energy worldwide. “In western Europe, nuclear produce electricity accounts for almost 27% of total electricity. In North America and Eastern Europe, it just about 18%, whereas in Africa and Latin America it is 2.1% and 2.4%, respectively. In the Far East, nuclear energy accounts for 10% of electricity making; in the Middle East and South Asia it accounts for 1%,” he conceded.
On the critical issue of training and human development, the reports admit to shortage of experienced personnel to man nuclear energy plants. It predictable that in 2009 all nuclear power plants in operation worldwide continued to employ more than 250,000 people. “About three quarters of all reactors in process today are over 20 years old, and one quarter is over 30 years old. The generation that make and operate these plants has either before retired or will soon. Many of the organizations that are licensed to function these plants also have projects underway or under thought to build new units, and are facing shortages of knowledgeable personnel and loss of knowledge as they look to replace retiring staff for their existing fleet while at the similar time staffing new projects,” the report cautioned.
Further, he pointed out, “Over the past two years the payment of nuclear generation to world electricity manufacture has declined from 15% to less than 14%, mainly due to a rise in total electricity generation worldwide without an amplify of nuclear generation.” The IAEA director general’s report further evidenced the lack of any particular growth pattern in usage of nuclear energy worldwide. “In western Europe, nuclear produce electricity accounts for almost 27% of total electricity. In North America and Eastern Europe, it just about 18%, whereas in Africa and Latin America it is 2.1% and 2.4%, respectively. In the Far East, nuclear energy accounts for 10% of electricity making; in the Middle East and South Asia it accounts for 1%,” he conceded.
On the critical issue of training and human development, the reports admit to shortage of experienced personnel to man nuclear energy plants. It predictable that in 2009 all nuclear power plants in operation worldwide continued to employ more than 250,000 people. “About three quarters of all reactors in process today are over 20 years old, and one quarter is over 30 years old. The generation that make and operate these plants has either before retired or will soon. Many of the organizations that are licensed to function these plants also have projects underway or under thought to build new units, and are facing shortages of knowledgeable personnel and loss of knowledge as they look to replace retiring staff for their existing fleet while at the similar time staffing new projects,” the report cautioned.
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