Nuclear Energy Now tracks the latest nuclear energy developments across technology, diplomacy, industry trends, and geopolitics.
The United States and the United Kingdom Sign Nuclear Energy Deals
The United States and the United Kingdom announced a series of nuclear energy deals under a new agreement, dubbed the ‘Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy.’ The partnership aims to advance next-generation nuclear technologies and accelerate deployment by reducing regulatory approval to two years rather than four. Some of the key projects include US nuclear firm X-energy and the UK’s Centrica to build up to 12 small modular reactors (SMRs) in Hartlepool, and Last Energy and DP World to establish a micro modular nuclear power plant. Additionally, Holtec, EDF, and Tritax will invest $15 billion to develop data centers powered by SMRs in Nottinghamshire. Other initiatives include a study by TerraPower and KBR to evaluate sites in the UK for the deployment of Natrium advanced reactor technology and a partnership between Raidant and Urenco on a $4.6 million deal to supply high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for US advanced reactors. Both countries aim to eliminate dependence on Russia for nuclear materials by 2028.
Both Washington and London are betting big on nuclear power, and the UK is working to expand its capacity amid an aging fleet of nuclear reactors. In the 1990s, nuclear power made up 25 percent of the country’s energy mix, but that share has dropped to 15 percent today as older reactors face decommissioning and no new large plants have been completed in decades. Projects such as Sizewell C, whose budget has increased to over $50 billion from an initial $27 billion, point to the existing challenges of constructing large-scale nuclear reactors. To deploy new nuclear energy at scale and within budget, the UK is looking towards SMRs, and Rolls-Royce is leading the effort to design and deploy the first SMR fleet in the country.
Global Nuclear Power Outlook Hits New Highs
Last year, nuclear energy generation hit a new world record, and with global interest in the sector accelerating, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has raised its nuclear power projections for the fifth consecutive year. In its high-case scenario, the IAEA projects that global nuclear capacity will more than double by 2050, reaching 992 gigawatts-electrical (GW(e)), up from 377 GW(e) in 2024. In comparison, the low-case scenario envisions a 50 percent increase to 561 GW(e). Small modular reactors are expected to play an important role in this expansion, accounting for 24 percent of new capacity in the high case scenario and five percent in the low case. SMRs are already in operation in China and Russia, and the United States is constructing its first, with various companies planning additional projects. Overall, this upward trend is a significant shift from post-Fukushima pessimism. A decade after the accident, the IAEA began raising annual projections again, and today’s high case estimate is 25 percent higher than in 2021. This growth is being driven by renewed national commitments, long-term license extensions, and a growing pipeline of new construction projects.
Canada Fast-Tracks Its First SMR Project
Canada has been expanding its nuclear energy ambitions, and now it’s looking to accelerate deployment. In August, Prime Minister Mark Carney launched the Major Projects Office (MPO) to fast-track projects by streamlining regulatory reviews and structuring financing with public and private partners. Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project will be among the first reviewed under this new process, which aims to reduce approval timelines to a maximum of two years. The Darlington project, which would feature four BWRX-300 SMRs, would have a total output of 1,200 megawatts (MW) and contribute to Canada’s goal of being the first country in the G7 to have an operational SMR. The new office parallels recent efforts by the United States, which launched Fuel and Reactor Pilot Programs this year, to accelerate advanced nuclear energy deployment. By fast-tracking nuclear projects, Canada is signaling its intent to compete globally—not only with SMR leaders such as China and Russia, but also with the United States—to bring new nuclear capacity online quickly.
About the Author: Emily Day
Emily Day is an experienced researcher, writer, and editor with expertise in geopolitics, nuclear energy, and global security. She is an Associate Editor of Energy World and Techland at The National Interest and a Senior Research Associate at Longview Global Advisors, where she provides insights on global political and economic trends with a specialization in utilities, risk, sustainability, and technology. She was previously a Della Ratta Energy and Global Security Fellow at the Partnership for Global Security.
Image: Melnikov Dmitriy/shutterstock
