India, China to exhibit growth in nuclear energy: IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency feels that the global atomic sector would largely be driven by countries like India and China.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said there will be “continuous and significant growth” in the use of nuclear power in the next two decades despite the deep “public anxiety throughout the world and damaged confidence in nuclear power” on account of the nuclear accident in Japan.

He however admitted that the growth would be at a slower rate than in the agency’s previous projections. “We expect the number of operating nuclear reactors in the world to increase by about 90 by 2030, in our low projection, or by around 350, in our high projection, from the current total of 432 reactors.

“Most of the growth will occur in countries that already have operating nuclear power plants, such as China and India,” he said at the opening of the 55th IAEA General Conference.