Nuclear Power Gains Global Momentum as Japan, China and US Expand Reactors

Japan announced plans to rebuild more than a dozen nuclear reactors by 2050, with a proposal to construct up to 14 units that would add about 16 GW of capacity. The move follows the 2011 Fukushima shutdown and recent concerns over LNG price volatility and regional energy security.

China is advancing its nuclear programme rapidly, building seven new reactors this year and having 36 more approved for construction, with a total of 60 operating units. The country aims to increase its nuclear output as part of an "all‑of‑the‑above" energy strategy.

In the United States, two companies are developing a hybrid nuclear‑and‑gas power plant, and the Department of Energy is exploring funding for projects such as using legacy nuclear‑weapon fuel for civilian power and advancing small‑modular reactors. Tech giant Microsoft, seeking low‑carbon power for its AI data centres, has joined other big‑tech firms in investing in nuclear generation.

Germany acknowledged that phasing out nuclear power was a mistake, reinforcing the broader shift toward nuclear as a reliable, dispatchable, low‑carbon energy source less vulnerable to geopolitical price swings.