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Nuclear Safety Review for 1986 (1987)

Author	IAEA
Date	August 1987
Classification	6.01.3.00/24 (NUCLEAR SAFETY - GENERAL)
Front

SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW

INTRODUCTION

Twenty-three new nuclear power units were connected to the grid during the year. 
At the end of 1986 there were 397 power reactors in operation in 26 countries. 
Installed net nuclear capacity rose to 273.7 GW(e), an increase of 8.9% over 1985. 
In eleven countries the nuclear share of total electricity production now exceeds 
25%. Total operating experience rose to 4210 reactor-years, twice that at the end 
of 1979.With the significant exception of Chernobyl Unit 4, 1986 was again a year 
of safe operation. Positive safety developments in 1986 were overshadowed by the 
accident at Unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the Soviet Union. 
What happened at Chernobyl was extremely serious. Although there have been 
many incidents and accidents at operating power reactors during the past 30 years, 
the accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and at Chernobyl in 1986 have been the 
most serious.
The Chernobyl accident is the only accident at a nuclear power plant to have 
resulted in a significant radioactive release beyond the plant boundary and in 
deaths due to acute effects of radiation exposure. The impact of the Chernobyl 
accident in the Soviet Union and in other countries emphasized the truth of the 
statement that "an accident anywhere is an accident everywhere". Thus, the long 
term significance of the accident may lie less in its direct effects and more in the 
impetus it has already given to work to strengthen further the operational aspects 
of nuclear safety. The study of lessons learned from the accident is certain to 
continue for many years and this work will be co-ordinated and reported 
internationally.

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