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Top 10 Largest Nuclear Power Plants in the World

The ten largest nuclear power plants in the world by net electrical capacity, from Japan's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex to the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Canada — ranked by megawatts.

Updated August 7, 2026 10 ranked 4 sources

Quick answer: 1. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, 2. Kori Nuclear Power Plant, 3. Hanul Nuclear Power Plant, 4. Bruce Nuclear Generating Station, 5. Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant, 6. Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station, 7. Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, 8. Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, 9. Gravelines Nuclear Power Station, 10. Paluel Nuclear Power Plant.

Nuclear power plants generate roughly 10% of the world's electricity from about 440 reactors with a combined capacity of 396 GW. The largest plants are massive engineering complexes that house multiple reactor units, each capable of powering millions of homes. Asia dominates the top ranks, with Japan and South Korea operating the largest facilities by net capacity. This list ranks the ten largest nuclear power plants in the world by their net electrical generating capacity in megawatts (MW), as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Power Reactor Information System (PRIS). Net capacity refers to the maximum power output delivered to the grid after accounting for the plant's own consumption.

Net capacity (MW)

Net capacity (MW)
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant
7965 MW
Kori Nuclear Power Plant
7489 MW
Hanul Nuclear Power Plant
7338 MW
Bruce Nuclear Generating Station
6308 MW
Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant
6108 MW
Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station
6000 MW
Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant
5875 MW
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
5700 MW
Gravelines Nuclear Power Station
5460 MW
Paluel Nuclear Power Plant
5320 MW

The ranking

1

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, is the world's largest nuclear power plant by net capacity at 7,965 MW. Operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), it has seven reactor units — five BWRs and two ABWRs — making it the only plant in the world with seven units on one site. All units have been offline since 2011 following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster, undergoing safety upgrades for potential restart.

Location: Niigata, JapanOperator: TEPCOReactors: 7 (5 BWR, 2 ABWR)Commissioned: 1985–1996
2

Kori Nuclear Power Plant

Kori Nuclear Power Plant in Busan, South Korea, has a net capacity of 7,489 MW across seven reactors. Operated by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), the plant includes the Shin Kori units 1–4 alongside the older Kori units 1–4. Kori Unit 1, which began commercial operation in 1978, was South Korea's first nuclear reactor and was permanently shut down in 2017. Shin Kori units 3 and 4 are APR-1400 pressurized water reactors, the most advanced domestic design.

Location: Busan, South KoreaOperator: KHNPReactors: 7 (including Shin Kori)Commissioned: 1978–2019
3

Hanul Nuclear Power Plant

Hanul (formerly Ulchin) Nuclear Power Plant in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea, has a net capacity of 7,338 MW across six reactors. The plant features two CE-type pressurized water reactors, two OPR-1000 units, and two APR-1400 reactors (Shin Hanul 1 and 2). The APR-1400 units are the flagship of South Korea's nuclear export program, with similar units being built in the UAE at the Barakah plant.

Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do, South KoreaOperator: KHNPReactors: 6Commissioned: 1988–2024
4

Bruce Nuclear Generating Station

Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Tiverton, Ontario, Canada, has a net capacity of 6,308 MW across eight CANDU pressurized heavy-water reactors, making it the largest nuclear plant in North America and the largest operating CANDU facility in the world. Operated by Bruce Power, the plant sits on the eastern shore of Lake Huron and supplies about 30% of Ontario's electricity. All eight reactors have been refurbished or are in the process of life-extension refurbishment.

Location: Ontario, CanadaOperator: Bruce PowerReactors: 8 (CANDU PHWR)Commissioned: 1977–1987
5

Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant

Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant in Liaoning Province, China, has a net capacity of 6,108 MW across six CPR-1000 pressurized water reactors. Operated by Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Co., a subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), it is the largest nuclear plant in China and the first nuclear power station built in Northeast China. All six units became operational between 2013 and 2022.

Location: Liaoning, ChinaOperator: CGNReactors: 6 (CPR-1000)Commissioned: 2013–2022
6

Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station

Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station in Guangdong Province, China, has a net capacity of 6,000 MW across six CPR-1000 and ACPR-1000 pressurized water reactors. Operated by Yangjiang Nuclear Power Co., a subsidiary of CGN, the plant was constructed in phases between 2008 and 2020. Units 5 and 6 use the ACPR-1000 design, which incorporates enhanced safety features developed after Fukushima.

Location: Guangdong, ChinaOperator: CGNReactors: 6 (CPR-1000 / ACPR-1000)Commissioned: 2014–2020
7

Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant

Hanbit (formerly Yeonggwang) Nuclear Power Plant in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, has a net capacity of 5,875 MW across six reactors. Operated by KHNP, the plant was renamed from Yeonggwang to Hanbit in 2013 as part of a government initiative to use more Korean names. The facility consists of two Westinghouse-type pressurized water reactors and four OPR-1000 units built between 1986 and 2002.

Location: South Jeolla, South KoreaOperator: KHNPReactors: 6Commissioned: 1986–2002
8

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine, has a net capacity of 5,700 MW across six VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors, making it the largest nuclear plant in Europe. Operated by Energoatom, the plant produced roughly half of Ukraine's nuclear-generated electricity before the Russian invasion of 2022. The plant has been under Russian military control since March 2022, with reactors in cold shutdown and periodic disconnections from the Ukrainian grid.

Location: Zaporizhzhia, UkraineOperator: Energoatom (Ukraine)Reactors: 6 (VVER-1000)Commissioned: 1985–1996
9

Gravelines Nuclear Power Station

Gravelines Nuclear Power Station in Hauts-de-France, France, has a net capacity of 5,460 MW across six CP1-class pressurized water reactors. Operated by Électricité de France (EDF), it is the largest nuclear plant in Western Europe and the second-largest in Europe after Zaporizhzhia. Located on the North Sea coast near Dunkirk, the plant uses seawater for cooling and has been in operation since 1980.

Location: Hauts-de-France, FranceOperator: EDFReactors: 6 (CP1 PWR)Commissioned: 1980–1985
10

Paluel Nuclear Power Plant

Paluel Nuclear Power Plant in Normandy, France, has a net capacity of 5,320 MW across four P4-class pressurized water reactors. Operated by EDF, the plant sits on the English Channel coast and has been in operation since 1985. All four units are 1,330 MW class P4 reactors — the most powerful PWR units in the French fleet. The plant underwent a major refurbishment program in the 2020s to extend operational life beyond 40 years.

Location: Normandy, FranceOperator: EDFReactors: 4 (P4 PWR)Commissioned: 1985–1986

Full comparison

# Name LocationOperatorReactorsCommissioned
1 Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant Niigata, JapanTEPCO7 (5 BWR, 2 ABWR)1985–1996
2 Kori Nuclear Power Plant Busan, South KoreaKHNP7 (including Shin Kori)1978–2019
3 Hanul Nuclear Power Plant Gyeongsangbuk-do, South KoreaKHNP61988–2024
4 Bruce Nuclear Generating Station Ontario, CanadaBruce Power8 (CANDU PHWR)1977–1987
5 Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant Liaoning, ChinaCGN6 (CPR-1000)2013–2022
6 Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station Guangdong, ChinaCGN6 (CPR-1000 / ACPR-1000)2014–2020
7 Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant South Jeolla, South KoreaKHNP61986–2002
8 Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Zaporizhzhia, UkraineEnergoatom (Ukraine)6 (VVER-1000)1985–1996
9 Gravelines Nuclear Power Station Hauts-de-France, FranceEDF6 (CP1 PWR)1980–1985
10 Paluel Nuclear Power Plant Normandy, FranceEDF4 (P4 PWR)1985–1986

How we ranked this

Nuclear power plants are ranked by net electrical capacity in megawatts (MW) as reported in the IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS) database. Net capacity is the power delivered to the grid, which is lower than gross capacity because it deducts the power used by the plant itself. Only fully operational plants with all units connected to the grid are included. Plants under construction, permanently shut down, or in decommissioning are excluded. The data reflects the most recent IAEA PRIS reporting as of mid-2026.

FAQ

What is the difference between net and gross capacity at a nuclear plant?

Gross capacity is the total electrical output a plant's generators can produce. Net capacity is the power actually delivered to the grid after subtracting the electricity used to run the plant itself — cooling pumps, control systems, and other auxiliary equipment. Net capacity is typically 5–10% lower than gross capacity and is the standard metric used by the IAEA.

Why is Kashiwazaki-Kariwa ranked first if it's not currently operating?

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is ranked by its installed net capacity of 7,965 MW, which is the maximum output it can deliver when operational. While all seven reactors have been offline since 2011 undergoing safety upgrades, the plant's capacity rating remains the highest of any nuclear power plant in the world. It is the largest plant by design, not by current output.

How long do nuclear power plants typically operate?

Nuclear power plants are originally licensed for 30–40 years of operation, but many plants receive life-extension licenses to operate for 60 years or more. The Bruce plant in Canada, for example, has undergone a multi-billion dollar refurbishment program to extend its reactors from 40 to 60+ years of service. The oldest operating reactors in the world have been running for over 50 years.

Sources