A BOOK: NUCLEAR ENERGY – PEACEFUL WAYS TO SERVE HUMANITY
Dr. Mir F. Ali
Here’s the Newsflash about Nuclear Energy (REUTERS):
- Global energy demand is projected to surge 50 percent by 2050, putting new nuclear in the spotlight. With over $8bn invested in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) since 2024, stakeholders must act fast to build strong business models, forge business-critical partnerships, and execute projects efficiently to accelerate deployment and unlock multi-billion-dollar returns;
- There is no room for missteps. Executive Orders targeting 400 GW of nuclear capacity by 2050 are looming, and quadrupling today’s output demands immediate coordination – the industry must tackle critical hurdles in financing, supply chain resilience, FOAK risk, regulation, and technology without delay;
- Turkey’s energy minister said Russia had provided new financing worth $9 billion for the Akkuyu nuclear power plant being built by Moscow’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom, adding Ankara expected the power plant to be operational in 2026;
- Tokyo Electric Power Co plans to restart the first unit of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world’s biggest, on January 20, TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa told reporters on Wednesday;
- Russia plans to put a nuclear power plant on the moon in the next decade to supply its lunar space programme and a joint Russian-Chinese research station, as major powers rush to explore the earth’s only natural satellite;
- Japan plans to provide 210 billion yen ($1.34 billion) to help companies that are using clean power to fund investments, in a push to boost demand for renewable energy and spur growth in regional areas, a government official said late on Monday;
- Swedish utility Vattenfall has applied for state financing to build new reactors at its Ringhals plant, it said on Tuesday, the first company to do so under a scheme the government hopes will lead to a renaissance in nuclear power;
- Italy’s cabinet on Monday authorised a state-backed company to buy from Stellantis a site that includes facilities for the temporary storage of used nuclear fuel, a statement said; and
- The European Commission said on Monday it has opened an investigation to assess whether public support that the Czech Republic plans to grant for the construction and operation of two new nuclear units is in line with EU State aid rules;
The 6th edition of World Nuclear Exhibition was held at Paris, France, from November 4 to 6, 2025. The following major activities took place at the Exhibition:
- Multinational enrichment company Urenco signed an agreement with French state-backed power company EDF to supply uranium enrichment services for nuclear power stations across France and the UK. The multi-billion-euro contract will enable Urenco to support EDF’s nuclear fleet into the 2040s, contributing to the reliable and sustainable generation of electricity;
- Italian companies Ansaldo Energia and Ansaldo Nucleare have signed a joint declaration of intent with EDF subsidiary Nuward, marking a further step in Nuward’s programme to develop and deploy a small modular reactor (SMR). The declaration follows the first collaboration agreement between Ansaldo Energia, Ansaldo Nucleare, EDF and Nuward signed in July 2023. Nuward is developing a new generation of water-cooled SMRs that will provide both electricity and heat for multiple applications such as industrial applications and district heating;
- Naarea, a French startup developing a Generation IV molten salt fast neutron nuclear microreactor, signed a partnership agreement with Fluid Wire Robotics (FWR), an Italian startup specialising in the design of electric robotic systems for remote and unmanned inspection, maintenance, repair and assembly in extreme environments such as radiation, heat, underwater and vacuum. Naarea said the aim of the partnership is to provide it with safe and reliable robotic handling capabilities for its fuel production facility, and for its XAMR microreactors, in particularly during maintenance operations or dismantling;
- France’s Orano group signed engineering partnerships with Ametra, Assystem and Vulcain as part of its effort to renew its nuclear fuel processing and recycling plants. The work is part of a programme known as Aval du future, which includes a fuel unloading facility and a new mixed-oxide fuel fabrication plant at the La Hague site in northern France, with commissioning scheduled for the early 2040s, and a new used fuel processing plant planned for the mid-century, as well as keeping existing facilities in operational condition;
- More than 30 European companies from the international nuclear and maritime sectors have formally signed the ‘Declaration of Cooperation for Accelerating Nuclear for Maritime Applications to meet Climate Ambitions’. One of the signatories, the testing, inspection and certification body Bureau Veritas, said the signing represents a landmark initiative uniting international stakeholders across the nuclear, maritime, research, financial and regulatory communities in a shared commitment to promote a European initiative to advance the safe and sustainable use of nuclear technologies for maritime decarbonisation;
- Italy-based engineering group Maire and subsidiary Nextchem signed a memorandum of understanding with EDF and subsidiary Nuward to jointly explore opportunities for cooperation in the development and deployment of the Nuward small modular reactor (SMR) programme. Maire said the initiative aligns with its objective to collaborate with nuclear technology providers developing small and advanced modular nuclear technologies and supports Nextchem’s vision for creating low-carbon chemical production and data centre “e-factories” by integrating them with a clean, reliable energy source.
Here’s some basic background information about Nuclear Energy. In 2024 nuclear plants supplied 2667 TWh of electricity, up from 2601 TWh in 2023:
- The first commercial nuclear power stations started operation in the 1950s;
- Nuclear energy now provides about 9 percent of the world’s electricity from about 440 power reactors;
- 31 countries generate electricity from nuclear energy;
- Nuclear provides over 20 percent of the world’s low-carbon electricity;
- Nuclear is the world’s second largest source of low-carbon power; and
- Over 50 countries utilize nuclear energy in about 220 research reactors. In addition to research, these reactors are used for the production of medical and industrial isotopes, as well as for training.
In 2024 nuclear plants supplied 2667 TWh of electricity, up from 2601 TWh in 2023:
The following image – World Electricity Production by source 2023 (source: International Energy Agency):
The following image – World Electricity Production by source 2023 (source: International Energy Agency):
Some countries like Germany have essentially phased out nuclear.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an agreement recently to work together to advance the development of affordable, reliable and clean nuclear power. As part of this agreement, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will leverage Ontario’s global nuclear leadership to advance the development and deployment of nuclear technologies, including large-scale reactors and small modular reactors (SMRs), to meet the growing electricity demand and protect long-term energy security. Under this agreement:
- Ontario reaffirmed the province’s commitment to fulfilling its duty to consult and engage with Indigenous communities throughout the process to advance economic reconciliation as new nuclear opportunities move forward;
- Ontario’s electricity system is part of a larger, interconnected North American grid — facilitating two-way electricity trade with neighbouring provinces and U.S. states, currently operating seven interties with New York, representing a total combined transfer capacity of about 2,500 MW;
- Between 2021 and 2023, Ontario exported more than 40 terawatt hours (TWh) to U.S. states like Michigan, New York and Minnesota representing about nine per cent of Ontario’s total annual generation in those years;
- In May 2025, the Ontario government concurred with OPG’s plan to begin construction on the first of four SMRs at the Darlington nuclear site, which will add 300 MW of clean electricity, producing enough reliable, affordable and clean electricity to power 300,000 homes; and
- The construction of Ontario’s four SMRs will create up to 18,000 Canadian jobs, along with the construction, operation and maintenance adding more than $38 billion to Canada’s GDP and sustaining 3,700 highly skilled good-paying jobs over the next 65 years.
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This section was updated on 06 January 2026.
