Providing for the energy needs of several billion people is definitely an adult activity. The cute toys of the enviros and other countercultur-ists make pretty four-color spreads in magazine articles, but they are dwarfed into insignificance by the real power consumption of human civilization. It is, however, a special tragedy of our time that their toys became politically correct and, coupled with the politics of fear, managed to retard sensible power development during the past generation. Even if these political problems were entirely solved now, it would require decades to correct the damage that has already been done -damage that has exacted a terrible price in human lives. There is, nevertheless, gradual progress. Figure 2 is from the 
Page 53 of the same
IAEA Bulletin gives the world generation of nuclear power as of December 1994. There are 432 operating nuclear power plants and 48 under construction. The United States has 109 with one under construction. Percentages of electricity generated from nuclear power for countries having more than 1% are:
| Lithuania | 76.4 % | Ukraine | 28.9 % | |
| France | 75.3 % | Czech Republic | 28.2 % | |
| Belgium | 55.8 % | Japan | 27.2 % | |
| Sweden | 51.1 % | United Kingdom | 25.8 % | |
| Slovak Republic | 49.1 % | United States | 22.0 % | |
| Bulgaria | 45.6 % | Canada | 19.1 % | |
| Hungary | 43.7 % | Argentina | 13.8 % | |
| Slovania | 38.0 % | Russia | 11.4 % | |
| Switzerland | 36.8 % | South Africa | 5.7 % | |
| Republic of Korea | 35.5 % | Netherlands | 4.9 % | |
| Spain | 35.0 % | Mexico | 3.5 % | |
| China - Taiwan | 33.5 % | China - Mainland | 1.5 % | |
| Finland | 29.5 % | India | 1.4 % | |
| Germany | 29.3 % | |||
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Vol. 23, No. 3
Newsletter: Access to Energy Newsletter Archive Volume: Issues Issue/No.: Vol. 23, No. 3 Date: November 01, 1995 01:17 PM (For actual publication date see newsletter.) Title: Technology and Lifespan
Copyright © 2004 - Access to Energy Newsletter Archive
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