Modelling the Contribution of Nuclear Energy to Economic Development

This publication presents the structure and assumptions supporting the EMPOWER tool and provides a practical guide on using EMPOWER for analysing the macroeconomic impacts associated with nuclear projects and programmes. EMPOWER stands for Extended Input-Output Model for Sustainable Power Generation. The IAEA developed this tool involving research teams from its Member States, particularly in the context of a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on ""assessing national and regional economic effects of nuclear programs"". EMPOWER belongs to the class of input-output models, commonly used to evaluate the impact of investments in large infrastructure projects, which offer the ability to analyse the effects of exogenous shocks in a relatively simple way. This type of model describes the interdependencies between the different sectors of the economy through an input-output table and several feedback mechanisms. This report is intended for macroeconomic analysts, energy planners and decision-makers exploring ways to inform energy policies and strategies at the governmental level as well as at ministries leading or contributing to energy planning studies.