James StephensGlobal nuclear power capacity is projected to climb 44 percent over the next decade, reaching 535 gigawatts by 2036, up from 372 gigawatts installed at the end of 2025, according to a new BloombergNEF report. China is on track to overtake the United States as the world's largest nuclear operator, while India races to expand its own fleet to meet surging electricity needs.
Key Takeaways
- Global nuclear capacity is forecast to hit 535 GW by 2036, a 44 percent jump from 372 GW at the close of 2025.
- China plans to nearly double its nuclear fleet to 102 GW from 59 GW, overtaking the US as the top holder.
- India aims for 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047, up from just 8.8 GW today, a plan expected to cost roughly $204 billion.
- Rising AI driven electricity demand and decarbonization goals are pushing governments toward nuclear as a steady, low carbon power source.
China's Push to Overtake the US
Beijing is not betting on nuclear alone. The country is simultaneously expanding solar, wind and coal capacity, treating nuclear as one piece of an all of the above energy strategy. Seven new reactors are scheduled to come online this year alone, adding to a fleet that is already the largest on the planet. That pace of construction is what BloombergNEF expects to carry China from 59 GW to 102 GW of nuclear capacity within ten years, enough to knock the United States from its longtime perch atop the global rankings.
India's Costly Bet on Energy Security
India's ambitions are less about scale today and more about where it wants to be by midcentury. A panel formed by the country's power ministry estimates that lifting installed nuclear capacity from 8.8 GW to a targeted 100 GW by 2047 would require roughly 19.28 trillion Indian rupees, or about $204 billion at current exchange rates, in cumulative capital. New Delhi's Nuclear Energy Mission frames the buildout as a mix of homegrown technology and foreign partnerships, aimed squarely at energy security as electrification and data center growth strain the grid.
Why Global Nuclear Power Capacity Is Rising Now
The forces behind this buildout are not new, but they are converging. Electricity demand tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure is climbing fast, and utilities are under pressure to decarbonize while keeping the grid reliable. Nuclear offers steady, round the clock output that intermittent renewables cannot always match. Governments in Asia's biggest emerging economies see it as a hedge against both energy insecurity and rising emissions, which explains why China and India are the two countries driving most of the projected growth in global nuclear power capacity.
What Happens if the Buildout Falls Short
Reactor construction has a long history of delays and cost overruns, and India's $204 billion price tag alone shows how capital intensive this path is. Whether China can sustain seven new reactors a year, and whether India can secure the financing and foreign cooperation its mission depends on, will determine how close the world gets to that 535 gigawatt target by 2036.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is nuclear power not used more?
High upfront construction costs, long build timelines, safety and waste concerns, and public opposition in some countries have historically slowed nuclear power's expansion compared with fossil fuels and renewables.
How much of the world's power is nuclear?
Nuclear power supplies roughly 9 to 10 percent of global electricity generation, a share that has been fairly steady even as overall electricity demand has grown.
How many total nuclear power plants in India?
India currently operates nuclear plants totaling about 8.8 gigawatts of capacity, with a government goal of reaching 100 gigawatts by 2047.
How long would the world run on nuclear power?
Estimates on how long uranium reserves could sustain global nuclear generation vary widely depending on technology and reprocessing, but current known reserves are generally estimated to last many decades at present usage rates.
How many total nuclear power plants in Pakistan?
Pakistan operates a small nuclear fleet concentrated at a couple of major sites, with total installed nuclear capacity in the range of a few gigawatts, far smaller than China, India or the United States.
Edward Byrd