BNEF forecasts global nuclear power generation to surge 44% in 10 years, with China poised to surpass the United States as the world's leading power producer.
BloombergNEF forecasts that global nuclear power generation capacity will increase from 372 gigawatts to 535 gigawatts in the next 10 years, as China continues construction and is poised to overtake the United States as the world's leading nuclear power producer.
On July 8, 2026, at 2:00 PM, Bloomberg News reported that global nuclear power generation capacity is projected to increase by 44% over the next 10 years, after a period of limited growth. This is driven by rapidly increasing electricity demand and the accelerated construction of nuclear power plants in China and India.
A BloombergNEF (BNEF) report indicates that global nuclear power generation capacity could increase to 535 gigawatts by 2579 from 372 gigawatts last year.
China will be a key driver of this growth. By the end of 2568, China will have 59 gigawatts of nuclear power plants under construction, and its total generating capacity is expected to increase to 102 gigawatts by the end of this decade. This would allow China to surpass the United States as the world's largest nuclear power producer.
BNEF states that the nuclear industry is being boosted by several factors, including international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are driving the demand for low-carbon energy sources, as well as increased electricity demand from industry, households using more electricity, and data centers supporting the growth of artificial intelligence (AI).
Furthermore, increasingly societal attitudes toward nuclear energy have led governments and public utility companies in many countries to reconsider policies that previously hindered the development of nuclear power plants.
However, BNEF warns that expanding production capacity may still face limitations from lengthy approval and regulatory processes, a factor that has consistently delayed nuclear programs.
For the United States, although the Trump administration has explicitly supported nuclear energy, there is currently only one commercial nuclear power plant under construction. However, BNEF predicts that investment and construction will accelerate over the next decade.
The report concludes that, following the Fukushima nuclear power plant incident in 2554, the global nuclear industry has remained virtually stagnant. However, this situation is about to change due to the continuously increasing demand for clean energy and electricity.
Reference: bloomberg.com
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