Tripling Global Nuclear Energy by 2050 Within Reach—If Governments Act Now
Issued 13 November 2025
On Energy Day at the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP30, in Belém Brazil, World Nuclear Association previews findings from its new report, World Nuclear Outlook Report 2025. The report tracks national government targets for nuclear energy, revealing that tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050—a goal endorsed by more than 30 countries since COP28—can be achieved, provided governments take immediate and sustained action to deliver on their own national targets for nuclear capacity.
World Nuclear Outlook Report 2025 projects that global nuclear capacity could reach 1428 GWe by 2050, exceeding the 1200 GWe target set in the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy. This assessment includes plans for continued and extended operation of existing reactors, completion of those under construction, and realization of planned and proposed projects, alongside national capacity targets.
Speaking from COP30 during the launch of World Nuclear Outlook 2025, Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of World Nuclear Association said: “Our analysis indicates that at least tripling nuclear capacity by 2050 is achievable with the timely action of bold global industry leaders, forward-thinking governments, and an increasingly engaged civil society. This is our chance to build a cleaner, more secure energy future for everyone everywhere, powered by affordable 24/7, low-carbon nuclear energy.”
Earlier this week IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2025, said “a common element across its scenarios is the revival of fortunes for nuclear energy”, recognizing the tripling target. At the same time, IEA scenarios, including its Net Zero Emission case of 1079 GWe by 2050, fall short of the ambition in the Declaration to Triple Nuclear and World Nuclear Association’s most recent stocktake. The best available industry data, reflecting the scale of government ambition for nuclear energy, are now compiled in the World Nuclear Outlook Report 2025, and are ready to be considered in future scenarios.
The Association summarizes key findings from World Nuclear Outlook Report 2025 and areas of progress more generally for the nuclear industry as:
> Policy Ambition: Announced plans and targets by governments for new nuclear build would deliver 1428 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2050 if combined with extending the operations of existing reactors up to 80 years and construction of reactors currently planned and proposed.
> Global Momentum: The report identifies 50 countries where plans are in place for nuclear capacity to be in operation in 2050, with established nuclear countries such as China, France, India, Russia, and United States accounting for nearly 1000 GWe of the projected capacity by 2050. Additional countries are exploring the use of nuclear energy but have not yet announced firm targets or deployment plans.
> Climate Alignment: Nuclear energy is among the lowest lifecycle greenhouse gas emitters and is formally recognized by the UNFCCC as a key tool for emissions reduction. Nuclear energy is also one of the only clean sources of reliable dispatchable energy.
> Broadening Applications: Nuclear energy is increasingly being identified to power industrial decarbonization. Leading energy users, including Amazon, Dow Chemicals, Google, Meta and Oxy have pledged support for the goal to triple nuclear.
> Financial Backing: The World Bank and other Multilateral development banks have revised lending policies to include nuclear energy projects, and 14 major financial institutions have affirmed their support for nuclear expansion.
However, the report warns that achieving this trajectory will require accelerated licensing and permitting, investment in supply chains and fuel cycle infrastructure, and clear policy frameworks to support both large-scale and small modular reactor (SMR) deployment. The report concludes that governments’ policy ambitions exceed the global goal to triple nuclear, however its realisation is not guaranteed. To secure a clean, reliable, and resilient energy future for all, governments must take action now implementing clear execution plans that can realise policy promises. Experienced countries, multilateral development institutions and the global nuclear industry should collaborate to support emerging economies interested in deploying nuclear energy for the first time.
Read the preview summary and watch the presentation of the findings from World Nuclear Outlook Report 2025. The full report will be published later this year.
Notes to Editors
Nuclear generation reached an all-time high of 2667 TWh in 2024. This helped avoid 2.1 billion tonnes* of carbon dioxide emissions from equivalent coal generation — enough to wipe out the carbon footprint of the entire global aviation industry nearly twice over. Nuclear energy provides 9% of global electricity production, the second largest source of clean electricity after hydropower.
* Emissions are calculated in g CO2 eq. per kWh, based on values in the United National Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Carbon Neutrality in the UNECE Region: Integrated Life-cycle Assessment of Electricity Sources (2022)
