China is emerging as a world leader in nuclear power, according to research from Global Energy Monitor (GEM)’s Global Nuclear Power Tracker, which includes over 1,405 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear capacity from over 1,540 units worldwide. China’s total operational capacity of 58.1 GW is a close third behind France’s at 64.0 GW. Those two countries, plus the United States with its 102.5 GW in operation, account for well over half of the world’s operational nuclear capacity.
China surpasses France by count of operational nuclear power units, with 58 to France’s 56. China has consistently ranked above France in annual electricity generation from nuclear sources for four consecutive years.
Comparing the nuclear power fleets of China, France, and the United States — the top three countries by nuclear generation in 2023 — helps illustrate the different roles that nuclear plays in these countries’ energy profiles.
China is the largest generator of electricity in the world by far, with more than double the generation of the second-ranked country, the United States. So despite nuclear’s growth within China, its percentage share of generation is still much smaller than the corresponding global average, in large part because the “denominator” in the equation, total Chinese electricity demand, is so substantial. In addition, coal-fired power still accounts for well over half of all Chinese power generation.
