In 2026, 15 reactors with a total capacity of nearly 12 GW are planned to be commissioned worldwide.
This sharp change follows this year, when the total capacity of nuclear energy actually decreased by 1.1 GW, according to an analytical note from BloombergNEF.
Since the beginning of 2025, only two new reactors have been put into operation, while seven have been shut down.
In 2026, the situation will change dramatically, and from 2027 to 2030, more than 50 new reactors are planned to be commissioned. This is a significant indicator for the industry, which has effectively stagnated for most of this century.
"We forecast a scenario of stable and gradual growth in nuclear capacity and electricity production. At the same time, we recognize that such projects rarely, if ever, are completed on schedule," wrote Chris Gadomski, the leading nuclear analyst at BNEF, in the report.
Currently, there are 417 nuclear reactors operating worldwide with a total capacity of about 377 GW. In recent years, the industry has experienced a certain revival: first due to the growing interest in nuclear energy as a tool to combat climate change, and then as a source of electricity for data centers.
In the U.S. alone, BNEF estimates that by 2035, data centers may require up to 106 GW of electricity – compared to 35 gigawatts in 2024.
