High Steam Generator Demand Will Power Europe into Market-Leading Position by 2025

Tuesday 4 March 2014, Amsterdam

The global steam generator (SG) market for nuclear power plants (NPPs) will increase in value gradually over the coming years, climbing from $5.51 billion between 2006 and 2013 to $18.2 billion during 2014 to 2025, according to the new report.

The company’s latest report states that the revenue increase in the SG market for NPPs will be driven mainly by rising power demand, soaring fossil fuel prices and the need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Europe will experience the highest demand for SGs between 2014 and 2025, claiming a massive 50% market share. This will be followed by Asia-Pacific and North America, which will achieve respective shares of 28% and 16%.

Russia is expected to hold the highest share of the European market by the end of the forecast period, representing 33%, followed by France, the UK and Ukraine with shares of 23%, 10% and 9%, respectively.

Prabhanjan Kumar Singh, the Senior Analyst covering Nuclear Power, says: “The demand for SGs in the European region will amount to approximately 435 units, with 261 of these applying to new installations and 174 to replacements. This demand will peak at 212 units between 2014 and 2017, as a result of 24 new reactors that are due to come online and 32 existing reactors that are likely to need replacement SGs during this period.”

However, a number of factors will prevent any further growth in the European and global SG markets over the forecast period. These include issues surrounding the disposal of nuclear waste, high capital costs associated with nuclear power, and prominent anti-nuclear public opinion.

Singh continues: “Anti-nuclear stances within many countries have been aggravated by nuclear accidents and disasters, such as those at Chernobyl and the Fukushima Daiichi NPP. In light of this public opinion, governments have been compelled to reconsider their nuclear energy strategies.

“Additionally, public and environmental safety is now a chief concern for all NPP operators worldwide, and any further failures will ultimately threaten the entire industry’s survival,” the analyst concludes.