Nuclear power around the world

Environmentalists are divided on the issue of nuclear power. Photograph: George Widman/AP
Nuclear power is back in favour, at least in government circles. The UK has plans for a fleet of new nuclear reactors, Sweden has reversed its decades-old ban on nuclear power and an increasing number of countries are expanding their nuclear generating capacity.
Four new reactors are underway in Europe at the moment: two Russian-designed reactors in Slovakia, plus Finland's Olkiluoto 3 and France's Flamanville 3, which both rely on the French state-owned Areva's involvement and expertise. The Finnish site has been beset by delays, rising costs and criticisms of safety and still has no definite opening date, while the cost of Flamanville 3 has risen from €3.3bn to €4bn.
But it's China that is pursuing nuclear power more enthusiastically and on a bigger scale than anyone else. As the data here shows, it has 14 reactors under construction and 115 either planned or proposed to help it cope with rising energy demands. South Africa is also planning a major expansion in nuclear, joining a countries such as France, Japan and the US, which have historically been some of the most pro-nuclear countries.
Environmentalists are still split on nuclear power. Some see a low carbon energy source that can help slow global warming, while others see unsolved waste problems and a technology that can't be built fast enough to stop dangerous climate change.