The Revival of Nuclear Energy Worldwide – 2023 Edition
“Nuclear energy can help accelerate and secure the transition from fossil fuels,”1 declared the International Energy Agency (IEA)2 in mid-2022. While solar and wind energies are expected to grow significantly in global decarbonization trajectories, the agency emphasizes that they must be complemented by dispatchable low-carbon energies (hydropower, nuclear, CCUS) and/or flexibility measures (storage). The key question in the coming years will be whether the announced revival will enable nuclear energy to contribute at the expected level.
This report provides an overview of the current state of nuclear energy worldwide, the information available to date on the ongoing revival, and the challenges faced by states and the industry in achieving this revival. It is exclusively based on public sources, including databases from international organizations (IAEA, OECD-NEA) and monitoring conducted by the Sfen and nuclear advisors from French embassies abroad, drawing on government sources.
Key Findings:
- Nuclear energy plays a significant role in the decarbonization of global electricity mixes.
- Several signals of a nuclear revival are observed worldwide.
- New frameworks must be established beyond the industrial capacity to construct new facilities.
1• IEA – « Nuclear energy can help make the energy sector’s journey away from unabated fossil fuels faster and more secure »,
« A new dawn for nuclear energy? » – June 2022.
2• IEA – « Nuclear Power and Secure Energy Transitions » – June 2022.