Global nuclear power is on track for its biggest expansion in decades as governments turn back to reactors to meet climate goals and shore up energy security.
That is the central message of the inaugural World Nuclear Outlook Report,which maps national nuclear ambitions through to 2050.
If countries deliver on their stated plans,global nuclear capacity could reach around 1,446GW by mid-century,far above the COP28 goal to triple capacity to roughly 1,200GW.
The figures mark a decisive shift after years of stagnation,with nuclear now being repositioned as a core pillar of net zero power systems.
Most near-term growth will come from reactors already under construction,with projects in advanced planning driving expansion into the mid-2030s.
Beyond that,longer-term government programmes and strategic energy policies dominate the pipeline.
China,France,India,Russia and the United States will remain the centre of gravity for global nuclear.
Together those five countries are expected to account for close to 980GW of nuclear capacity by 2050.
But growth is no longer confined to traditional nuclear states.
Countries with little or no existing nuclear capacity are now targeting around 157GW by mid-century,signalling a broadening of nuclear beyond its historic strongholds.
Extending the life of existing reactors is a major driver of future capacity.
Many plants that will be 60 to 80 years old by 2050 could keep operating if lifetimes are extended,locking in large volumes of low-carbon power without new construction.
The scale of the build challenge is stark.
Annual grid connections would need to rise from around 14GW a year later this decade to more than 65GW a year in the 2040s,roughly double the peak build rate seen during the nuclear boom of the 1980s.
The report frames nuclear as essential to meeting soaring electricity demand from electrified transport,industry and data centres.
It also positions reactors as firm clean capacity to complement renewables and support hydrogen production and industrial decarbonisation.
Energy security has become as powerful a driver as climate policy says the report.
Governments are increasingly treating nuclear as a strategic asset to cut reliance on imported gas and volatile power markets.
However,the report also carries a clear warning on delivery risk.
Not all national targets are backed by real projects,financing plans or regulatory frameworks.
Supply chains,construction capacity and skilled labour will all need rapid expansion and political support will need to remain stable over decades,not just election cycles.
The inaugural outlook marks a sharp turn in global energy planning it concludes that after years on the defensive,it appears nuclear is back at the centre of long-term power strategy across the world.
