Share of electricity generation from nuclear in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of electricity generation from nuclear was 12.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of electricity generation from nuclear in United Kingdom, 1920–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of electricity generation from nuclear in United Kingdom stood at 12.4%.
That represents a change of down 12.9% on the previous year and down 40.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of electricity generation from nuclear in United Kingdom peaked at 28.0% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1920.
United Kingdom ranks 21st of 207 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of electricity generation from nuclear in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 0.0% | — |
| 1921 | 0.0% | — |
| 1922 | 0.0% | — |
| 1923 | 0.0% | — |
| 1924 | 0.0% | — |
| 1925 | 0.0% | — |
| 1926 | 0.0% | — |
| 1927 | 0.0% | — |
| 1928 | 0.0% | — |
| 1929 | 0.0% | — |
| 1930 | 0.0% | — |
| 1931 | 0.0% | — |
| 1932 | 0.0% | — |
| 1933 | 0.0% | — |
| 1934 | 0.0% | — |
| 1935 | 0.0% | — |
| 1936 | 0.0% | — |
| 1937 | 0.0% | — |
| 1938 | 0.0% | — |
| 1939 | 0.0% | — |
| 1940 | 0.0% | — |
| 1941 | 0.0% | — |
| 1942 | 0.0% | — |
| 1943 | 0.0% | — |
| 1944 | 0.0% | — |
| 1945 | 0.0% | — |
| 1946 | 0.0% | — |
| 1947 | 0.0% | — |
| 1948 | 0.0% | — |
| 1949 | 0.0% | — |
| 1950 | 0.0% | — |
| 1951 | 0.0% | — |
| 1952 | 0.0% | — |
| 1953 | 0.0% | — |
| 1954 | 0.0% | — |
| 1955 | 0.1% | — |
| 1956 | 0.4% | +575.5% |
| 1957 | 0.3% | -30.5% |
| 1958 | 1.1% | +268.0% |
| 1959 | 1.7% | +54.0% |
| 1960 | 1.8% | +8.3% |
| 1961 | 2.4% | +31.8% |
| 1962 | 3.7% | +58.1% |
| 1963 | 4.6% | +21.8% |
| 1964 | 7.9% | +72.9% |
| 1965 | 7.5% | -5.4% |
| 1966 | 9.6% | +29.2% |
| 1967 | 10.4% | +7.9% |
| 1968 | 11.0% | +5.3% |
| 1969 | 11.7% | +6.7% |
| 1970 | 10.1% | -13.3% |
| 1971 | 10.5% | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 10.4% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 10.3% | -1.6% |
| 1974 | 12.4% | +20.6% |
| 1975 | 11.0% | -11.3% |
| 1976 | 12.8% | +16.5% |
| 1977 | 13.9% | +8.9% |
| 1978 | 12.4% | -10.8% |
| 1979 | 13.4% | +8.3% |
| 1980 | 13.3% | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 13.9% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 15.9% | +13.9% |
| 1983 | 17.7% | +11.5% |
| 1984 | 18.1% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 20.5% | +13.0% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | -4.3% |
| 1987 | 18.3% | -6.8% |
| 1988 | 20.5% | +12.4% |
| 1989 | 22.8% | +11.0% |
| 1990 | 20.6% | -9.8% |
| 1991 | 21.8% | +6.2% |
| 1992 | 23.9% | +9.5% |
| 1993 | 27.7% | +15.6% |
| 1994 | 27.0% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 26.4% | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 27.0% | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 28.0% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 27.4% | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 25.8% | -5.8% |
| 2000 | 22.6% | -12.7% |
| 2001 | 23.4% | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 22.7% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 22.3% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 20.3% | -8.8% |
| 2005 | 20.5% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 19.0% | -7.3% |
| 2007 | 15.9% | -16.4% |
| 2008 | 13.5% | -15.0% |
| 2009 | 18.3% | +35.9% |
| 2010 | 16.3% | -11.3% |
| 2011 | 18.7% | +15.3% |
| 2012 | 19.4% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 19.7% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 18.9% | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 20.8% | +10.1% |
| 2016 | 21.1% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 20.8% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 19.5% | -6.3% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | -11.9% |
| 2020 | 16.2% | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 15.0% | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 14.6% | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 13.9% | -5.0% |
| 2024 | 14.3% | +2.9% |
| 2025 | 12.4% | -12.9% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of electricity generation from nuclear in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | +575.5% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 1958 | +268.0% | 0.3% | 1.1% |
| 1964 | +72.9% | 4.6% | 7.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.4% | 0.0% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.1% | 1.8% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.7% | 10.1% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.1% | 13.3% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.6% | 20.6% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.8% | 13.5% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.2% | 16.3% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.4% | 12.4% | 16.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More energy & mining data for United Kingdom
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 8.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of electricity generation from nuclear in United Kingdom?
- Share of electricity generation from nuclear in United Kingdom was 12.4% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of electricity generation from nuclear recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 28.0% in 1997.
- What is the lowest share of electricity generation from nuclear recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1920.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of electricity generation from nuclear?
- United Kingdom ranks 21st out of 207 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of electricity generation from nuclear rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of electricity generation from nuclear. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region.