Nuclear power in the EU: production growth in 2023 thanks to France

According to Eurostat, EU nuclear power generation in 2023 increased by 1.7 per cent to 619,601 GWh compared to 2022. The increase was driven by the completion of reactor repairs in France, which remains the largest producer of nuclear power in Europe. France produced 54.6% of all nuclear electricity in the EU, totalling 338,202 GWh.

In 2023, 13 EU countries produced nuclear electricity, accounting for 22.8% of total EU electricity production. Main producers:

• France - 338,202 GWh (54.6 per cent of all nuclear energy in the EU).
• Spain - 58,873 GWh (9.2 per cent).
• Sweden - 48,470 GWh (7.8 per cent).
• Finland - 34,308 GWh (5.5 per cent).

Germany produced 7,216 GWh of nuclear electricity in 2023, but stopped producing it completely in April. Until 2021, Germany was the second largest producer of nuclear power in the EU, but the decision to phase out nuclear plants has reduced its share in the country's energy mix.

Dependence on nuclear power in Europe remains high. In 2023, France generated 65% of its electricity from nuclear power plants, while in Slovakia this figure reached 62%. At the same time, Germany generated only 1.4% of its electricity from nuclear power plants and the Netherlands 3.3%.

A number of EU countries have completely abandoned nuclear power. Germany closed its last reactor in April 2023. Denmark, Estonia, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Austria, Poland and Portugal do not generate nuclear electricity. Slovenia has a nuclear power plant that is half owned by Croatia.