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Among developing countries which have large nuclear power
power programmes is the Republic of Korea with seven reactors and 5 400 MW.
Expansion continues there. In India, plans aim at increasing nuclear
power capacity from the present 1 200 to 10 000 MW by the year 2000.
Neither India's nor Korea's nor China's attitudes appear to have been
appreciably influenced by the accident at Chernobyl. The programmes in
Argentina and Brazil have been slowed down, but the main reason is to be
found in the economic situation in these countries. Pakistan has invited
offers for new nuclear plants. Other governments are concerned that
Pakistan may be on the way to make a nuclear weapon and no bids have been
made. In Mexico two plants which are nearing completion have encountered
a strong public opposition.
Our forecast in the IAEA is that world wide the nuclear generating
capacity will increase from the present 284 000 MW (e) to between 480 000
and 600 000 MW (e) by the year 2000. There are already 125 plants witn
together 170 000 MW under construction.
Although very significant in a few countries, Chernobyl has thus
until now had a small direct effect on the prospects of nuclear power in
the world as a whole.
However, we cannot take the concern of the public
and of politicians lightly. The public opposition to nuclear power often
seems irrational to those who work in the field. One may ask why so many
people who accept gas and gas explosions, who accept hydro power and dam
catastrophes, why so many of these people are nervous about nuclear
has been
power, whose overall safety record is after all still very good.
V
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