Trending Now - Nuclear Power Sees Resurgence Four Decades Post-chernobyl
WHO:
ABC News - Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, stated, “I am 100% sure nuclear is coming back.”
AP News - U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas DiNanno said, “The world cannot power its industries, meet the demands of artificial intelligence, or secure its energy future without nuclear power.”
AP News - Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission chief, acknowledged Europe’s “strategic mistake” in cutting nuclear energy.
AP News - Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, commented on the need for reliable, low-carbon electricity.
WHAT:
ABC News - The United States aims to quadruple its nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
AP News - Russia has built the first nuclear reactor for Belarus, which has seen a third of its territory contaminated from the Chernobyl accident.
AP News - Russia has signed contracts to launch construction of nuclear reactors in several other countries.
ABC News - Over 400 nuclear reactors are operational in 31 countries, with about 70 more under construction.
AP News - Nuclear power accounts for about 10% of the world’s electricity, equivalent to about a quarter of all sources of low-carbon power.
ABC News - The United States has 94 operational reactors, accounting for about 30% of global nuclear electricity generation.
AP News - China operates 61 nuclear reactors and has nearly 40 under construction.
ABC News - Japan has restarted 15 reactors and has 10 more in the process of getting approval to restart.
ABC News - France relies on nuclear power for nearly 70% of its electricity, with 57 reactors at 19 plants.
WHERE:
ABC News - Chernobyl’s Reactor No. 4 exploded in Ukraine on April 26, 1986.
AP News - The Taishan Nuclear Power Plant is located in Guangdong Province, China.
ABC News - South Africa has the only nuclear power plant on the African continent.
AP News - Russia is building nuclear reactors in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
WHEN:
ABC News - The Chernobyl disaster occurred on April 26, 1986.
AP News - Germany switched off its last three nuclear reactors in 2023.
ABC News - Belgium repealed a law demanding the closure of its reactors in 2025.
ABC News - President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to build six new pressurized water reactors in 2022.
WHY:
ABC News - The COVID-19 pandemic and the gas supply crunch from the conflict in Ukraine have revealed the limits of renewable electricity and Europe's dependence on gas.
ABC News - The revival of nuclear energy is attributed to a growing recognition of the need for reliable, low-carbon electricity to meet rising energy demands.
AP News - The war in the Middle East has boosted the trend towards nuclear energy revival.
HOW:
AP News - Russia's nuclear reactors have undergone extensive modernizations, adding safety features to address design flaws that contributed to the Chernobyl disaster.
ABC News - Nuclear reactors have seen improvements in safety features and cost-effectiveness.
AP News - The European Commission is considering the development of Small Modular Reactors, expected to become operational in the early 2030s.
(UPDATED April 23, 2026 17:26 UTC)
The United States has announced plans to quadruple its nuclear energy capacity by 2050, a move driven by the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the gas supply crunch stemming from the conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia has constructed the first nuclear reactor for Belarus, a country still dealing with contamination from the Chernobyl accident, and has signed contracts to build reactors in several other nations. These reactors have been modernized with enhanced safety features to rectify design flaws that were highlighted during the Chernobyl disaster.
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(UPDATED April 23, 2026 15:39 UTC)
Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, expressed confidence that nuclear energy is making a comeback, a sentiment echoed by U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas DiNanno, who emphasized that the world cannot meet its energy demands without it. Currently, over 400 nuclear reactors are operational across 31 countries, with the United States leading the way, generating about 30% of global nuclear electricity from its 94 reactors. As nations recognize the need for reliable, low-carbon electricity, improvements in safety and cost-effectiveness are paving the way for a nuclear revival, including the European Commission's plans for Small Modular Reactors expected to be operational in the early 2030s.