Nuclear energy policy by country


National nuclear energy policy is a national policy concerning some or all aspects of nuclear energy, such as mining for nuclear fuel, extraction and processing of nuclear fuel from the ore, generating electricity by nuclear power, enriching and storing spent nuclear fuel and nuclear fuel reprocessing. Nuclear energy policies often include the regulation of energy use and standards relating to the nuclear fuel cycle.
Nuclear power stations operate in 31 countries. China has 32 new reactors under construction, and there are also a considerable number of new reactors being built in South Korea, India, and Russia. At the same time, at least 100 older and smaller reactors will "most probably be closed over the next 10-15 years". So the expanding nuclear programs in Asia are balanced by retirements of aging plants and nuclear reactor phase-outs. Global nuclear electricity generation in 2012 was at its lowest level since 1999.
Following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, Germany has permanently shut down eight of its reactors and pledged to close the rest by 2022. The Italians have voted overwhelmingly to keep their country non-nuclear. Switzerland and Spain have banned the construction of new reactors. Japan's prime minister has called for a dramatic reduction in Japan's reliance on nuclear power. Taiwan's president did the same. Mexico has sidelined construction of 10 reactors in favor of developing natural-gas-fired plants. Belgium planned to phase out its nuclear plants by 2025, later postponed by 10 years to 2035.
As of 2012, countries such as Australia, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Israel, Serbia, Malaysia, and Norway have no nuclear power reactors and remain opposed to nuclear power.

List

CountryOperating ReactorsConstructing ReactorsDebates to Construct ReactorsPlanning to Phase Out Existing ReactorsNuclear Restriction Policy
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Armenia
AustraliaNuclear power is illegal
AustriaNuclear reactions are forbidden by law since 1978, prolonged in 1997
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium Phase-out by 2035
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma
Canada
Chile
China
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark1985 law prohibits production
Egypt
Finland
FranceShare of 50% nuclear in power sector by 2035
Ghana
Germany Original phase-out planned for 2022, but delayed to 15 April 2023
GreeceResearch reactor GRR-1 in extended shutdown
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Ireland1999 law prohibits production
Israel
Iran
ItalyPhase out in late 1980s, nuclear power is illegal since 2011
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
Nigeria
New Zealand
North Korea
Norway
Pakistan
Philippines
PortugalResearch reactor decommissioned in 2019
Poland
Romania
Russia
SerbiaConstruction of nuclear power plants was banned in 1989. The Law was repealed in November 2024. As of January 2025 Serbia is in talks with French government to build a nuclear power plant.
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
SwedenFormer phase-out plans scrapped. Limit of 10 total reactors also scrapped.
SwitzerlandYes
Syria
Taiwan Last commercial nuclear power plant was shut down at the end of its 40 year operational licence on 17 May 2025. A referendum to restart the last plant was unsuccessful.
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United StatesYes, in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.
UruguayYes
Uzbekistan-
Venezuela
Vietnam

Africa

Algeria

Egypt

In November 2015 and March 2017 Egypt signed preliminary agreements with Russian nuclear company Rosatom for a first VVER-1200 unit at El Dabaa to start in 2024. Discussions continue for final approval.

Ghana

Ghana has research reactors, but no power plants.

Kenya

aims to build a 1,000 MWe nuclear power plant by 2030.

Libya

Morocco

Nigeria

South Africa

is the only country in Africa with a commercial nuclear power plant and it currently has an expansion policy.

Asia

Bangladesh

considered building a nuclear power plant for the first time in 1961. Since then, several feasibility studies have been carried out, affirming the feasibility of the project. In 1963 the Rooppur site was selected. More recently, in 2001 Bangladesh adopted a national Nuclear Power Action Plan.
On 24 June 2007, Bangladesh's government announced it will build a nuclear power plant to meet electricity shortages. The first nuclear power plant with a generation capacity between 700 and 1,000 MW will be installed by 2015 at Rooppur in Pabna district.

China

As of March 2014, China has 20 operating reactors, and 28 reactors under construction. Additional reactors are planned, providing 58 GWe of capacity by 2020.

Gulf states

Six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council have announced that the Council is commissioning a study on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. In February 2007 they agreed with the IAEA to cooperate on a feasibility study for a regional nuclear power and desalination program.
The United Arab Emirates adopted a national policy on nuclear energy in July 2008 and a national nuclear energy law on 4 October 2009. According to the law and the policy document, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation was established.
Memorandums of understanding on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy are signed with France, the United States and the United Kingdom. In December 2009, the UAE decided to build a nuclear power plant with four APR1400 reactors. The first reactor to be developed by the Korea Electric Power came online in 2017. The plant is located at Barakah, from Ruwais.
On 29 March 2008, Bahrain signed a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy with the United States.
In 2010 the Kuwait National Nuclear Energy Committee and the Russian company Rosatom signed a memorandum of understanding on the use of nuclear energy.