World Nuclear News – Details, episodes & analysis

If global nuclear energy capacity is to at least triple by 2050 it is going to need huge, huge investment - estimates suggest $250billion a year for 25 years. So how will it be financed and what are the opportunities and challenges for financiers wanting to get involved? 

To find out more, host Alex Hunt is joined by World Nuclear Association's Lola Infante, Senior Programme Lead Economics and Finance, and David Stearns, nuclear finance advisor and consultant.

They consider why nuclear projects have generally been state-financed in the past, and what the industry needs to do to ensure that it attracts private finance for future schemes, including "financing by design" where, as David puts it, "you embed and you write the financial coding at the same time that you're doing your site assessment, at the same time that you're checking your early stage regulatory approvals".

There is discussion of the growing appetite by global investment banks and multilateral banks to invest in new nuclear and the challenges of structuring financing to ensure it is attractive despite the long timescales involved in planning, building and then operating a new nuclear power plant.

They also provide insights into what has been learned so far from the Financing Nuclear Briefing series, which brings the nuclear industry and financiers together to discuss financing issues under Chatham House rules.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Investment decisions needed to avoid fuel cycle supply gaps
'Difficult to overstate demand from institutional investors' for nuclear

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Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

More than 1,100 people gathered in London for the 50th World Nuclear Symposium, taking part in a packed programme of discussions, panels and networking. In addition to the usual broad range of topics there were also two special full day programmes - one focused on end energy users and one on finance.

The event also saw the publication of 2025's World Nuclear Fuel Report, which warned that gaps could be opening up in the supply-demand picture over the coming years and investment decisions need to be taken now to fuel the forecast increase in nuclear power capacity.

The World Nuclear News team were there and have put together a series of reports on the symposium's proceedings, and the fuel report's findings.

People featured, in order of appearance:

• Cecile Gregoire-David, Head of Uranium, Conversion and Enrichment Services, EDF
• Malcolm Critchley, CEO, ConverDyn
• Meirzhan Yussupov, CEO, Kazatomprom
• Michael Huebel, Director General, Euratom Supply Agency
• Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association
• Tomass Ehler, Director General for Nuclear Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Czech Republic
• Lauren Culver, Senior Energy Specialist, World Bank
• Loyiso Tyabashe, CEO, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation
• Matt Firla-Cuchra, Global Lead Nuclear Energy, KPMG
• Victoria Kalb, Global Head ESG & Sustainability Research, UBS
• Mark Muldowney, Energy, Resources and Infrastructure, BNP Paribas
• Lee McDonough, Director General, Net Zero, Nuclear and International, UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
• Michelle Catts, Senior Vice President Nuclear Programmes, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy
• Pete Bryant, CEO, World Nuclear Transport Institute
• Bernard Fontana, Chairman and CEO, EDF
• Vakis Ramany, Senior Vice President International Nuclear Development, EDF
• Leon Flexman, Corporate Affairs Director, X-energy
• Mesut Uzman, Chief Nuclear Officer, Fermi America
• Rita Baranwal, Chief Nuclear Officer, Radiant
• Raquel Heredia Silva, World Nuclear Association

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Investment decisions needed to avoid fuel cycle supply gaps
'Difficult to overstate demand from institutional investors' for nuclear
World Nuclear Fuel Report
World Nuclear Symposium

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Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

Bruce Power's Chief Operating Officer James Scongack is Chairman of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council and, as he explains, the country aims to play a leadership role in nuclear medicine, not just for Canada's benefit, but also to provide health benefits for the rest of the world.

He outlines the life-saving diagnostics and treatments that now exist thanks to isotopes produced in Canada's Candu reactors, research reactors and cyclotrons, and talks about the new trials and treatments which are emerging.

The Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council has recently signed an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency's Rays for Hope campaign and aims to help provide access to nuclear medicine's diagnostics and treatments to those parts of the world where people do not currently have access. This is part of what he sees as driving hugely growing demand in the years ahead.

For those who may say that producing isotopes is the equivalent of a 'side hustle' for a nuclear power plant, Scongack says it might be "1% of the cashflow, but it's 50% of our contribution" in terms of tackling some of the greatest challenges that communities and society are facing.

Scongack also talks about progress at Bruce Power, where the modernisation programme is adding extra capacity equivalent to that which would be provided by building three small modular reactors. There's also an update on Bruce C.

Scongack, who sees a bright future for nuclear energy in general, says that communicating positive stories is key. He presents the Canadian Nuclear Isotopes Council's own podcast - called Isotopes for Hope - helping to spread the news about what he calls a "real hidden gem of what our industry around the world does".

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Canadian Nuclear Isotopes Council
Isotopes for Hope
Bruce Power
Milestones for Canada's Bruce Power units

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Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

There have been a raft of announcements from India in February relating to new nuclear energy capacity. Retired diplomat, author and distinguished fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation, Ambassador D. P. Srivastava, is the coordinator of a foundation task force report on the energy transition in the country and he joins us to discuss the future for nuclear energy in India.

The budget goal is to increase capacity from 7 GW to 100 GW by 2047, and as he explains, there will be a need for both indigenous and international technology involved in meeting that target. To help that process, India is now in the process of allowing private sector involvement in new nuclear and proposing changes to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010, which has been seen as a stumbling block for overseas nuclear power plant vendors. In addition, Prime Minister Modi has recently agreed new cooperation deals with French President Macron and US President Trump.

Fuel has also been loaded into the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, technology, which he explains, is set to play a key role in India's nuclear future. Srivastava also talks about the task force report's suggestion that India would need a huge amount more than 100 GW nuclear capacity if it is to achieve net zero by 2070.

All these announcements set the mood at India Energy Week, a huge event where nuclear took a prominent role. World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León was there and she joins us to give her impression of the event, which included Prime Minister Modi talking about new nuclear.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Vivekananda International Foundation
Modi, Trump commit to US-India partnership
Collaboration key to clean energy dream, India Energy Week hears
India and France sign SMR and AMR partnership letter of intent
Indian budget launches Nuclear Energy Mission
USA to end restrictions on India's nuclear entities

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Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

An agreement has been concluded to renew the Generation IV International Forum, which aims to build on its first 25 years of sharing research and development on innovative nuclear reactor designs. In this episode, William D Magwood IV, Director-General of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, which supports GIF as its Technical Secretariat, explains how the forum came about, how it works, what the key achievements have been so far and what the hopes for the future are.

He says that originally it was expected to be governments and government laboratories taking the lead, but now the private sector is doing it "which is very energising and very exciting". He says a key priority is to facilitate private sector success in the deployment of these technologies, albeit with challenges from working with IP issues across the private and public sector, and looks ahead to some lead countries demonstrating how these technologies can be regulated effectively.

All in all, he believes that the future for nuclear energy "is brighter than it's probably been in history".

In the World Nuclear News round-up Claire Maden reports on what we know so far about the impact on the nuclear sector from the return to the White House of US President Donald Trump, while Warwick Pipe has an update on the French nuclear power programme, following the Flamanville EPR's long-awaited connection to the grid.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Gen IV International Forum
Climate and energy in Trump's Day One executive orders
French auditor warns of challenges for EPR2 programme
France's Flamanville EPR starts supplying power

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Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups via our website

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

The World Nuclear News team looks back over the most read articles in 2024 - with topics including tech giants turning to nuclear energy for data centres, nuclear battery innovations, the uranium market and progress on current and proposed nuclear power capacity projects.

Then World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León sits down with host Alex Hunt to pick out key developments of the year - such as the public backing for nuclear from large financial institutions at New York Climate Week and political leaders declaring their commitment at the IAEA's Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels.

She also highlights the importance of discussions at COP29 about carbon markets, and reflects on the similarities and differences in the case put for nuclear energy at conferences held in different parts of the world.

Looking ahead to 2025 there are big set-piece events to look forward to - such as World Nuclear Association's 50th Symposium, COP30 and the first World Nuclear Supply Chain conference - as well as likely big moments for Turkey and Bangladesh's first units - and continued work on financing and achieving a change in multilateral bank lending policies towards nuclear.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
COP29
World Nuclear Association
Net Zero Nuclear

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Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Reporters Claire Maden and Warwick Pipe. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production 

The COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, was the latest global gathering aiming to agree measures to tackle climate change. Jonathan Cobb, senior programme lead, climate, at World Nuclear Association, was there. In this episode he explains what COP is, what the aims of COP29 were, what was achieved, and what role nuclear energy played.

He also explains why many people's focus was already looking towards COP30 in Brazil - and outlines the nuclear energy-related events held, and agreements signed, at Baku. Notable among these announcements was six more signatories - El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Nigeria and Turkey - to the Net Zero Nuclear goal of tripling nuclear energy capacity by 2050.

Also in this edition, Claire Maden rounds up some of the big nuclear energy stories in November, including Russia's decision to restrict uranium exports to the USA, the go-ahead being given for the Hermes 2 molten salt-cooled reactor and China's latest nuclear-powered district heating achievement.


Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
COP29
Net Zero Nuclear
Russia places 'tit-for-tat' ban on US uranium exports
China's first commercial nuclear district heating scheme expands
Hermes 2 construction permits approved by NRC
UK SMR negotiations begin with bidders

Email newsletter:
Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production 

Martin Cheetham is the station director of the EDF-run Heysham 2 nuclear power plant on the Lancashire coast in northwest England. It has two advanced gas-cooled reactors which were first connected to the grid in 1988. They have a combined power of 1.24 GW and had an initial design life to 2023 before being extended to 2028.

The second unit at Heysham 2 power plant set a record with 940 days of continuous operation from 2014 to 2016 and the plant is now closing in on setting a new record for electricity generated by a nuclear power plant in the UK. As it does so, there are currently checks going on which could see a further extension to its life.
 
In this episode Cheetham talks about the similarities and differences between nuclear and his earlier work at thermal energy plants, he explains what decisions on Heysham's lifetime extension rest on, and why such decisions are different for the UK's fleet of AGRs compared with pressurised water reactors.
 
He also highlights the potential for the Heysham site to become home to a new generation of nuclear power, in the form of small modular reactors.

Key links to find out more:
See pictures from inside Heysham 2
World Nuclear News
Kazatomprom, MonAtom join forces in strategic partnership
Preliminary Czech ruling rejects Westinghouse and EDF appeals
Engineering contract for Bulgarian units signed with Hyundai E&C and Westinghouse
Slovenia's referendum on new nuclear cancelled

Email newsletter:
Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily and weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production 

Global tech giants Microsoft, Google and Amazon have all announced deals which will see them using nuclear energy in the coming years. In this edition we outline what has been announced, why, and also consider the significance for new nuclear energy in the future.

There is also a report from Claire Maden on what was a very timely session at last month's World Nuclear Symposium focusing on connecting end users with 24/7 energy. Those who featured on the panel include Todd Noe, Director of Nuclear & Energy Innovation at Microsoft, Claude Lorea, Cement, Innovation and ESG Director for the Global Concrete and Cement Association, Lou Martinez Sancho, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, R&D and Innovation, for Westinghouse and The Nuclear Company's Juliann Edwards.

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
Amazon invests in X-energy, unveils SMR project plans
Google and Kairos Power team up for SMR deployments
Constellation to restart Three Mile Island unit, powering Microsoft
How end-users can help drive nuclear new-build

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Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production 

A group of 14 global financial institutions have expressed their support for the call to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Their message, during New York Climate Week, stated their recognition that global civil nuclear energy projects have an important role to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy and means they join 25 countries and more than 120 companies already signed up to that tripling goal.

Jonathan Cobb, senior programme lead, climate, at World Nuclear Association, explains the significance of the pledge from the 14 institutions - Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Ares Management, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Brookfield, Citi, Credit Agricole CIB, Goldman Sachs, Guggenheim Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley, Rothschild & Co, Segra Capital Management, and Societe Generale.

But how can that support be translated into firm investments? Well, in this finance-focused episode, we also hear what some of the senior decision-makers said at World Nuclear Symposium earlier in September, about the challenges for private finance in new nuclear, and their ideas for smoothing that path.

Among those featuring are:
Vicki Kalb, Global Head of ESG and Sustainability Research at UBS
Seb Henbest, Group Head of Climate Transition at HSBC
Bill Lacivita, Partner at McKinsey & Company
Ed Cook, Global Head of Capital Markets at BlackRock
Cosmin Ghita, Chief Executive Officer at Nuclearelectrica
Kim Lauritsen, Senior VP, Enterprise Strategy & Energy Markets at
Ontario Power Generation
László Varró, VP, Strategy Insights & Scenarios at Shell International

Key links to find out more:
World Nuclear News
International banks express support for nuclear expansion
Net Zero Nuclear

Email newsletter:
Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production