Sixty countries considering using nuclear power: IAEA

Of these, 20 countries could have nuclear power programmes in place by 2030, said IAEA which is organising a four-day workshop in Vienna of some 50 eminent experts from 40 different countries.

The agency expects to help 38 national and six regional nuclear programmes over the next two years, marking a three-fold increase from the previous two years, as countries seek to boost living standards.

"A national energy policy should involve a proper assessment of a country's energy needs," said Yury Sokolov, IAEA's Deputy Director General of Nuclear Energy.

"Based on this analysis, nuclear's role can be defined," he said in a statement.

Sokolov said converting to nuclear power is a 100-year-long commitment. He stressed that countries must take a "holistic" approach to designing nuclear schemes, taking into account infrastructure needs and energy planning.