List of the most powerful nuclear reactors

Power development of nuclear reactors

The list of the most powerful nuclear reactors shows the nuclear reactors with the greatest electrical net power since the economic introduction of nuclear technology in 1954. The two reactor blocks of the Chinese Taishan nuclear power plant currently have the largest net output with 1,660 MW and 1,750 MW also the largest gross output.

Blocks Olkiluoto -3 and Flamanville-3 , which are currently under construction, will follow in the coming years and occupy positions 3 and 4.

Explanation

The following information is given:

• Name : Name of the nuclear power plant with the number of the reactor block (for power plants with several blocks)
• Country : Current location of the nuclear power plant
• Reactor type : type of nuclear reactor
• Net power in MW : gross power after deducting self-consumption, i.e. the power in megawatts that was fed into the grid. Performance data that have already been exceeded before are marked in italics.
• from point in time : point in time from which the power was supplied to the power grid. In many cases the power of the nuclear reactor has changed up or down over time. While the time of the first network synchronization is usually known exactly to the day, only the year is known in the event of changes in performance. If there are several reactors, the time of synchronization of the first reactor is given.

Reactors that are still in operation are highlighted in yellow.

Worldwide

The first commercially used nuclear power plant was in Obninsk, Russia . Since then, the net output of nuclear power plants has increased three hundredfold in 50 years. Between 1960 and 1964 and between 1967 and 1974 the world's most powerful nuclear power plant was in the United States, between 1974 and 1983 and between 1993 and 1996 in Germany and between 1996 and 2018 in France. Since December 2018, the first block of the Taishan nuclear power plant in the People's Republic of China, the first EPR in commercial operation, has been the most powerful reactor in the world.

The currently ten strongest reactor units in the world (as of January 2020)

space	Reactor block	Country	Reactor type	Construction line	electrical power		thermal Reactor power
					net	Gross
1	Taishan 1	People's Republic of China	Pressurized water reactor	EPR	1,660 MW	1,750 MW	4,590 MW
1	Taishan 2	People's Republic of China	Pressurized water reactor	EPR	1,660 MW	1,750 MW	4,590 MW
3	Civaux 1	France	Pressurized water reactor	Nouveau 4 (N4)	1,495 MW	1,561 MW	4,270 MW
3	Civaux 2	France	Pressurized water reactor	Nouveau 4 (N4)	1,495 MW	1,561 MW	4,270 MW
5	Chooz B-1	France	Pressurized water reactor	Nouveau 4 (N4)	1,500 MW	1,560 MW	4,270 MW
5	Chooz B-2	France	Pressurized water reactor	Nouveau 4 (N4)	1,500 MW	1,560 MW	4,270 MW
7th	Grand Gulf 1	United States	Boiling water reactor	BWR-6	1,401 MW	1,500 MW	4,408 MW
8th	Shin-Kori 3	South Korea	Pressurized water reactor	APR-1400	1,416 MW	1,486 MW	3,983 MW
9	Isar 2	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	KWU construction line '80	1,410 MW	1,485 MW	3,950 MW
10	Brokdorf	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	KWU building line '3	1,410 MW	1,480 MW	3,900 MW

Most powerful reactors over the years

Reactor block	Country	Reactor type	Net power in MW when commissioning	from time
Obninsk 1	Soviet Union	Boiling water pressure tube reactor	5	06/26/1954
Calder Hall 1-4	United Kingdom	Magnox reactor	50	08/27/1956
Shippingport	United States	Pressurized water reactor	60	12/02/1957
Dresden 1	United States	Boiling water reactor	197	04/15/1960
Indian Point 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	257	09/16/1962
Enrico Fermi (Trino)	Italy	Pressurized water reactor	260	10/22/1964
Quinone A3	France	UNGG reactor	480	08/04/1966
Haddam Neck	United States	Pressurized water reactor	560	08/07/1967
Oyster Creek	United States	Boiling water reactor	619	09/23/1969
Dresden 2	United States	Boiling water reactor	804 815	04/13/1970 1971
Quad Cities 1	United States	Boiling water reactor	829	04/12/1972
Indian Point 2	United States	Pressurized water reactor	897	06/26/1973
Zion 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	946	06/28/1973
Browns Ferry 1/2	United States	Boiling water reactor	998	10/15/1973
Biblis A	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,158 1,146	08/25/1974 1975
Biblis B	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,193 1,178	04/06/1976 1977
Lower Weser	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,271 1,230	09/29/1978 1979
Neckarwestheim 2	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1.310	04/15/1989
Ignalina 1/2	Soviet Union	Boiling water pressure tube reactor	1,380	December 31, 1983
Grohnde	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,349 1,360	1995 1996
Philippsburg 2	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,336	1994
Isar 2	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,410	04/09/1988
Gundremmingen C	Germany	Boiling water reactor	1,288	January 18, 1985
Gundremmingen B.	Germany	Boiling water reactor	1,284	07/19/1984 1993
Chooz B1 / B2	France	Pressurized water reactor	1,455 1,500	08/30/1996 2003
Taishan 1/2	People's Republic of China	Pressurized water reactor	1,660	December 13, 2018

Africa

The only nuclear power plant in Africa is the South African Koeberg nuclear power plant . Since 1984, its two units have been delivering a net output of 920 MW each in regular operation.

Surname	country	Reactor type	Net power in MW	from time
Koeberg 1/2	South Africa	Pressurized water reactor	920	04/04/1984

Asia

With one exception, the Indian Tarapur nuclear power plant , the most powerful nuclear reactor in Asia was always in Japan until 2018. Since the experimental Japan Power Demonstration Reactor was commissioned in 1963, the Japanese reactors have been able to keep up well with the European and American reactors. Reactor block 5 in the Hamaoka nuclear power plant was the most powerful in Asia with an initial net output of 1325 MW, but had to be throttled to 1212 MW in 2007 due to technical problems. Since December 2018, the first block of the Taishan nuclear power plant in the People's Republic of China has been the most powerful reactor in Asia and worldwide.

Surname	country	Reactor type	Net power in MW	from time
JPDR	Japan	Boiling water reactor	12	10/26/1963
Tōkai 1	Japan	Magnox reactor	166	11/10/1965
Tarapur 1/2	India	Boiling water reactor	210	04/01/1969
Tsuruga 1	Japan	Boiling water reactor	341	11/16/1969
Fukushima-Daiichi 1	Japan	Boiling water reactor	460	11/17/1970
Mihama 2	Japan	Pressurized water reactor	492	04/21/1972
Fukushima-Daiichi 2	Japan	Boiling water reactor	760	December 24, 1973
Takahama 1/2	Japan	Pressurized water reactor	780	03/27/1974
Ōi (Ohi) 1/2	Japan	Pressurized water reactor	1,120	December 23, 1977
Ōi (Ohi) 3/4	Japan	Pressurized water reactor	1,127	06/07/1991
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa 6/7	Japan	Boiling water reactor	1,315	01/29/1996
Hamaoka 5	Japan	Boiling water reactor	1,325	04/26/2004
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa 6/7	Japan	Boiling water reactor	1,315	2007
Taishan 1/2	People's Republic of China	Pressurized water reactor	1,660	December 13, 2018

Europe

Since the commissioning of the first commercial nuclear power plant in Obninsk , the most powerful nuclear reactor in Europe has been located alternately in Russia and Western Europe. The British reactor Dungeness A1 only had an output of 220 MW until 1969, when its output was increased to 570 MW, making it the most powerful reactor in Europe. In the seventies and mid-1990s, Germany provided the most powerful reactor. The two phases were interrupted by the Lithuanian Ignalina nuclear power plant , whose output was throttled in 1993 from 1380 MW to 1185 MW. The most powerful nuclear reactors in Europe are currently in France.

Surname	country	Reactor type	Net power in MW	from time
Obninsk 1	Soviet Union	Pressurized water pressure tube reactor	5	06/26/1954
Calder Hall 1-4	United Kingdom	Magnox reactor	50	08/27/1956
Berkeley 1/2	United Kingdom	Magnox reactor	138	06/12/1962
Latina	Italy	Magnox reactor	153	05/12/1963
Novovoronezh 1	Soviet Union	Pressurized water reactor	197	09/30/1964
Enrico Fermi (Trino)	Italy	Pressurized water reactor	260	10/22/1964
Quinone A3	France	UNGG reactor	480	08/04/1966
Saint-Laurent A1	France	UNGG reactor	480	03/14/1969
Dungeness A1	United Kingdom	Magnox reactor	577	1970
Würgassen	Germany	Boiling water reactor	640	December 18, 1971
Stade	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	662 630	29/01/1972 1973
Biblis A	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,158 1,146	08/25/1974 1975
Biblis B	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,193 1,178	04/06/1976 1977
Lower Weser	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,271 1,230	09/29/1978 1979
Biblis B	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,240	1980
Ignalina 1/2	Soviet Union	Boiling water pressure tube reactor	1,380	December 31, 1983
Isar 2	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,390	1993
Philippsburg 2	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,336	1994
Grohnde	Germany	Pressurized water reactor	1,349 1,360	1995 1996
Chooz B1 / B2	France	Pressurized water reactor	1,455 1,500	08/30/1996 2003

North America

The most powerful nuclear reactor in North America has always been in the United States . Since the first nuclear power plant , which was commissioned in 1957 with an output of 24 MW, the maximum output has increased rapidly, especially in the 1960s. Since 1985/1986 the two units of the Palo Verde nuclear power plant have been the most powerful. The performance data of the two reactor blocks have since fluctuated between 1221 MW and 1335 MW.

Surname	country	Reactor type	Net power in MW	from time
Vallecitos	United States	Boiling water reactor	24	October 19, 1957
Shippingport	United States	Pressurized water reactor	60	12/02/1957
Dresden 1	United States	Boiling water reactor	197	04/15/1960
Indian Point 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	257	09/16/1962
San Onofre 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	436	07/16/1967
Haddam Neck	United States	Pressurized water reactor	560	08/07/1967
Oyster Creek	United States	Boiling water reactor	619	09/23/1969
Dresden 2	United States	Boiling water reactor	804 815	04/13/1970 1971
Quad Cities 1	United States	Boiling water reactor	829	04/12/1972
Indian Point 2	United States	Pressurized water reactor	897	06/26/1973
Zion 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	946	06/28/1973
Browns Ferry 1/2	United States	Boiling water reactor	998	10/15/1973
Peach Bottom 3	United States	Boiling water reactor	1,073	09/01/1974
Browns Ferry 1/2	United States	Boiling water reactor	1,065	1975
Salem 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	1,104 1,079	December 25, 1976 1977
Sequoyah 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	1,123	07/22/1980
McGuire 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	1,180	1982
Grand Gulf 1	United States	Boiling water reactor	1,192	10/20/1984
Palo Verde 1	United States	Pressurized water reactor	1,270	06/10/1985
Palo Verde 1/2	United States	Pressurized water reactor	1,221 1,243 1,335 1,314	1986 1997 2004 2006

South America

The first nuclear power plant in South America, Atucha , went on stream in Argentina in 1974 with an output of 321 MW. In the following years, its reactor output varied between 319 MW and 345 MW, until it was replaced by the Brazilian nuclear power plant Angra with an output of 626 MW. The currently most powerful nuclear reactor in South America is the Angra 2 reactor . After the reactor block was commissioned in 2000 with an output of 1350 MW, the output was reduced to 1275 MW in 2002. The Brazilian government is currently planning another Angra 3 reactor block with the same output.

Surname	country	Reactor type	Net power in MW	from time
Atucha 1	Argentina	Heavy water pressure tube reactor	321 319 336 345 335	March 19, 1974 1975 1977 1978 1979
Angra 1	Brazil	Pressurized water reactor	626	04/01/1982
Angra 2	Brazil	Pressurized water reactor	1,350 1,275	07/21/2000 2002

See also

• List of nuclear power plants
• List of the largest nuclear power plants
• List of nuclear reactors with the highest annual production
• Nuclear energy by country

Web links

• Power Reactor Information System . International Atomic Energy Organization