Financing Nuclear Briefing Advances Nuclear Investment Agenda

The nuclear industry is experiencing significant growth – governments and private industries around the world are seeking clean, reliable, and economical energy solutions to meet climate and security goals alongside the ever-increasing demand for electricity. The goal to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050 is supported by thirty-one countries, along with many financial institutions and large energy industry companies.

Converting the project pipeline with market participation is an estimated $150 billion annual investment opportunity, with billions more for nuclear infrastructure and offtake.

World Nuclear Association is proud to initiate the Financing Nuclear Briefing Series (FNBS) to create a space to facilitate dialogue and knowledge exchange between nuclear industry and the finance community. The aim is to facilitate greater understanding of the challenges, knowledge, and good practices, aiming for greater collaboration to achieve timely FID on competitive nuclear projects around the world.

Our inaugural finance briefing was held at A&O Shearman office during London Climate Action Week and brought together decision makers to explore the evolving investment case for nuclear. Held under the Chatham House rule, the session focused on real-world pathways to mobilize capital and scale up deployment.

King Lee, Head of Policy and Industry Engagement, World Nuclear Association, opened the Financing Nuclear Briefing Series highlighting the important role that the nuclear industry can play to facilitate dialogue and support the finance community’s understanding of the opportunities in nuclear.

David Stearns, Senior Finance Advisor to World Nuclear Association, moderated an expert panel on “Investment for nuclear tripling: what are the financing channels and are they adequate?” with contribution from Stéphane Salib, Head of Financial Structuring, International Nuclear Development Division, EDF, Christian Sjölander, CEO and Founder Karnfull Next, and Luba Kotzeva, European Head of Power, Utilities and Energy Transition, Deutsche Bank. This was followed by a Q&A session.

A $150 Billion Opportunity—But Work Still to Do

Nuclear technologies are well-established in terms of design, deliverability, performance, and value. Yet historically, the nuclear and financial communities have not worked closely together—and that disconnect has slowed progress.

Now, with new reactor designs, innovative procurement approaches, investment models, and expanding markets, the opportunity is clearer than ever: an estimated $150 billion in annual investment potential is opening up for mainstream financiers and governments seeking clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions.

The financial markets are beginning to respond. We are seeing growing interest from institutional investors, a shift in multilateral development bank support, and green finance mechanisms being explored for nuclear. But while the technical readiness of nuclear power is advancing, financial readiness and supporting global architecture have lagged behind.

That is where the Finance Nuclear Briefing Series comes in.

Finance Nuclear Briefing Series: A Forum for Action

The FNBS is designed to bring together decision-makers across the nuclear, financial, and policy sectors to share knowledge, identify criteria, and develop a roadmap toward mainstream finance for nuclear. These sessions are already helping to shape World Nuclear Association’s finance agenda, including the Finance Summit at the 2025 World Nuclear Symposium, and the broader strategy to convert a growing pipeline of nuclear projects into real-world transactions.

“There’s a massive opportunity in front of us—if we can align financial systems with the energy technologies that are already ready to deliver,” said one participant at the London briefing.

Next Stop: Finance Summit at Symposium 50

The FNBS leads directly into the next major event on the calendar: the Finance Summit at World Nuclear Symposium in London, 3 September 2025. Designed for financial professionals, the Summit will bring together banks, investment firms, analysts, and policy leaders for a focused look at:

• Facilitate structured dialogue between nuclear stakeholders and global finance
• Present and promote financially viable nuclear project models
• Build momentum toward institutional recognition of nuclear as a climate-aligned infrastructure asset class
• Develop actionable pathways to de-risk nuclear investments

The Finance Summit will also feed into the Association’s forward workplan on nuclear finance to further the engagement and support to the financial community.

Looking Ahead: New York Climate Week

Following the Finance Summit, the conversation continues at New York Climate Week (21 -28 September 2025)—another crucial moment to highlight nuclear’s growing role in the global climate and finance agenda.

As governments and capital markets seek scalable solutions to meet net-zero goals, nuclear energy is stepping up with the performance, reliability, and maturity investors demand.