Nuclear Energy Now tracks the latest nuclear energy developments across technology, diplomacy, industry trends, and geopolitics.
Russia to Help China Overtake the United States in Nuclear
According to the Chief of Russia’s Rosatom state nuclear corporation, Russia will help China meet its goal of reaching 100 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear power and overtake the United States as the world’s largest producer of nuclear energy. So far, Russia has helped to build four nuclear reactors in China and will build four more. While the United States currently operates the largest nuclear network, with 97 GW of installed capacity, it has only added two new reactors since 2015. In contrast, China has built 35 new reactors over the same period. To reach Beijing’s goal, it will require massive uranium and fuel imports, and Russia already has plans to provide a closed nuclear fuel cycle based on Russian technology, enabling China to reprocess spent fuel. China and Russia’s increased cooperation makes the United States’ push to increase nuclear energy production more critical. If Washington hopes to maintain leadership in the nuclear sector—a pillar of both clean energy and national security—it must take every viable step to expand new nuclear construction, advance next-generation technologies, and strengthen the domestic nuclear fuel industry. Failure to meaningfully compete with China and Russia risks ceding technological leadership, norms of nuclear energy development, and geopolitical influence in one of the most strategically important energy markets.
South Africa Sets Ambitious Nuclear Energy Expansion Plans
South Africa appears to be laying the groundwork for a major nuclear energy revival, with plans to add 10 GW of nuclear capacity over the next 10-15 years and re-establish a domestic nuclear fuel cycle. Speaking at the World Nuclear Symposium, Deputy Director General Zizamele Mbambo emphasized making South Africa “self-sufficient across the nuclear value chain,” and pointed to the recent lifetime extension for Koeberg unit 1. South Africa, which currently has two nuclear reactors that make up five percent of its electricity, plans to re-establish its pebble bed modular reactor program, explore small modular reactors (SMRs), and start work on a new reactor for radioisotopes. Environmental approval has already been granted for a site near Koeberg that can host 4.6 GW of capacity. Still, the CEO of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, Loyiso Tyabashe, noted that advocacy was important for public approval, and the economic benefits of nuclear energy need to be stressed. The plan to expand nuclear energy is laudable, as South Africa has been dealing with significant energy and infrastructure challenges. In 2023, loadshedding disrupted the grid for 290 days, which improved in 2024, with only 69 days of loadshedding. However, water shortages are still a significant risk, with water prices rising by 50 percent since 2020, posing additional hurdles for energy-intensive industries such as nuclear power.
South Dakota Uranium Mine Gains Federal Fast-Track
A uranium mining project, the Dewey Burdock project, in South Dakota, has been selected for the federal FAST-41 expedited permitting process. While the process doesn’t guarantee approval, it significantly streamlines the project, with an estimated 18 months of review time being eliminated. The project has been stalled for approximately two decades, but under current plans, the project could be cleared by federal processes sometime next year. The FAST-41 process falls under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, which President Barack Obama signed at the end of 2015. Under the first trump administration, mining was added as a sector under FAST-41. The project further supports Donald Trump’s executive orders (EO) on nuclear energy, particularly the EO “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production,” and his vision for reviving the domestic nuclear industry, part of Trump’s energy dominance agenda.
DOE Invests $134 Million to Advance US Fusion
The United States joins, China, Japan, and the UK in ramping up investments into fusion energy. The Department of Energy (DOE) announced $134 million in investments to advance US fusion leadership, an area that many see as the next frontier of clean power. The majority of the funding—$128 million—will go to seven teams under the Fusion Innovative Research Engine (FIRE) program, and an additional $6.1 million will fund 20 projects through the Innovation Network for Fusion Energy (INFUSE) program. Those projects will include research on laser technology development, artificial intelligence (AI) learning, and high-temperature superconducting magnets. These investments are a part of Donald Trump’s mission to unleash American Energy and continue technological development at home. Fusion energy has been seeing a surge in global interest, “with nearly $2.7 billion invested in fusion since July of last year,” and Europe and China breaking world records for sustained plasma reactions.
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 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: Khanthachai C/shutterstock
