Global Nuclear Power Plant Market Stagnates in 2025 and Remains in a Trough

Global nuclear power plant market stagnates in 2025 and remains in a trough
© wlad074 / Adobe StockMünster (renewablepress) - As in previous years, the global market for nuclear power plants is not emerging from its slump in 2025. A renaissance with significant market growth is still not in sight.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), three new nuclear power plants came online worldwide in 2025 (2024: six). At the same time, seven older plants were permanently shut down (2024: four). Overall, this amounts to a net decline in the number of plants.

According to the IAEA (as of April 27, 2026), new nuclear power plants with a net capacity of 2,956 MW were connected to the grid in 2025 (2024: 6,813 MW). The new units were commissioned in Russia (Kursk 2-1, 1,200 MW), India (Rajasthan-7, 630 MW), and China (Zhangzhou-2, 1,126 MW).

During the same period, nuclear power plants with a total net capacity of 2,823 MW were shut down worldwide (2024: 2,891 MW). In Belgium, this included the Doel 1 and Doel 2 units (445 MW each) as well as Tihange-1 (962 MW). In addition, the last operating nuclear power plant in Taiwan, Maanshan-2 (938 MW), was shut down, along with three smaller units Bilibino-2, -3, and -4 (11 MW each) in Russia.

In 2025, the global net increase in nuclear power capacity amounted to 133 MW, resulting from additions (2,956 MW) and shutdowns (2,823 MW).

“The frequently announced renaissance of nuclear energy will not materialize in 2025 either,” said Dr. Norbert Allnoch, CEO of the Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR).

According to Allnoch, the reasons for the continued weak growth of the global market remain unchanged: very high investment costs, long construction times of 10 to 15 years in a dynamic energy market environment with difficult-to-predict conditions, and significant financing risks that, in practice, can usually only be borne by state actors. In addition, the number of companies capable of planning, building, and exporting nuclear power plants is very limited - most of them are state-owned enterprises.


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Caption: Global nuclear power plant market stagnates in 2025 and remains in a trough
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Münster, 28 April 2026


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