After forty years following the Chernobyl disaster, nuclear energy is once again a topic of discussion in the global energy debate. With a renewed focus on relaunch, climate issues, and geopolitical rivalries, the sector is undergoing a profound transformation driven by new actors and technologies.
The explosion of reactor number 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant has left a lasting mark on the history of global energy. Four decades later, nuclear energy is entering a new phase marked by a renewed deployment. This dynamic is driven by two major factors: the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and the pursuit of energy sovereignty in a tense geopolitical context. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, around 440 reactors are currently operational in about thirty countries.
One key figure reflects its significance: nuclear power represents nearly 9% of global electricity. Behind these general figures, it is important to realize that nuclear energy is concentrated in a limited number of countries. The United States remains the world’s leading civil nuclear power, followed by France. However, China is now emerging as a major player in the sector, with Beijing currently constructing more reactors than the rest of the world combined. For Chinese authorities, nuclear energy serves several goals: reducing dependence on coal, securing energy supply, and supporting growth.
This trend is also evident in India and the Middle East, particularly the United Arab Emirates, which have recently expanded their nuclear capacities. In Europe, the situation is more diverse. Germany has chosen to phase out nuclear energy, while other countries like France are relaunching their programs. With 56 reactors, France remains one of the most nuclear-dependent countries, but it faces challenges due to the aging of its facilities.
The sector is now focused on renewing infrastructure, particularly with the construction of new EPR-type reactors that are more powerful and efficient. Nuclear energy has also become an issue of industrial competitiveness. Although it requires high initial investments, it subsequently enables stable, controllable, and low carbon emission electricity production in the long term.
Simultaneously, new technologies are emerging, such as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Compact and flexible, they are attracting increasing interest, especially from private actors. Major industrial and digital companies, with expanding energy needs, are now considering financing their own installations. This significant shift represents an opening of the sector beyond the realm of states alone.
Despite this resurgence, nuclear energy still faces significant challenges: managing radioactive waste, decommissioning costs, and social acceptability. Forty years after Chernobyl, the sector is at a turning point. It must address a complex equation of becoming safer, quicker to deploy, and more acceptable, while remaining competitive. More than ever, the question is no longer just about the use of nuclear power but about its development conditions in a changing energy world.
