The future of nuclear energy

The Thiange nuclear power plant near Huy, southern Belgium. Belgium derives one-third of its electricity from nuclear energy. Photo: EPA

A world record for construction delay was created by the nuclear power industry in the United States last year, when a commercial reactor that took 43 years to build was finally fired up.

Called Watts-Bar-2, the unit located at Tennessee joins another 99 reactors there to supply nearly 20% of America’s electricity. However, lengthy construction times for nuclear power plants is not the norm elsewhere.