China Drives Global Nuclear Power Generation to New Record in 2025

Global nuclear power generation achieved a new all-time record in 2025, reaching 2,845 terawatt-hours (TWh), marking a 1.3% increase from 2024. This surge surpassed the previous peak of 2,809 TWh recorded in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The primary catalyst behind this significant growth was China, which has been rapidly expanding its nuclear capacity driven by energy security concerns and ambitious carbon emission reduction targets.

China single-handedly accounted for all of the net global increase in nuclear power generation in 2025. The nation boosted its output by more than 34 TWh, effectively preventing a decline in the global nuclear generation figures. Over the decade from 2015 to 2025, China's nuclear generation soared from 171 TWh to 485 TWh, far exceeding the entire global increase during that period. This rapid build-out has established China as the country with the fastest expansion of nuclear power capacity in the 21st century.

Maintaining its global leadership in nuclear capacity construction, China operates 62 reactors with an installed capacity of 65.965 gigawatts (GW) as of April 2026, ranking second globally after the United States. Furthermore, over 34 nuclear plants with a combined capacity of 32.3 GW are currently under construction in China, securing its position as the world leader in new builds for the 18th consecutive year. China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) targeted 70 GW of gross nuclear capacity by the end of 2025, with operational capacity reaching approximately 62 GW and another 43 GW under construction by that time.

In contrast, nuclear power generation in the United States remained stable in 2025, while output levels in Europe continued to trend below those seen a decade ago. The United States remains the largest overall producer of nuclear power, with 94 reactors and 96.9 GW capacity, generating 781.9 TWh in 2024. However, the IEA forecasts that nuclear electricity output in both the US and the European Union will remain relatively stable over the coming period, while China's share is projected to increase substantially.

This renewed global interest in nuclear energy stems from the imperative of transitioning to a low-carbon economy, enhancing energy security, and meeting the escalating electricity demand driven by factors such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, and artificial intelligence data centers. Despite the record generation, nuclear energy's share of the global energy supply slightly decreased in 2025, as the overall energy market expanded at a faster pace. This indicates that while nuclear power remains crucial, other energy sources are also experiencing rapid development.

Analysts and market expectations suggest that nuclear energy's growth trajectory will continue. The IEA anticipates an additional 1.5% growth in global nuclear production in 2026, primarily fueled by the commissioning of new reactors in China and India. Looking ahead to the 2026-2030 period, an average growth rate of 2.8% is expected for nuclear generation, with China alone projected to account for approximately 40% of this global increase. China's share of global nuclear generation is forecasted to rise from 17% in 2025 to 20% in 2030, while the US share is expected to decline from 29% to 25%, and the European Union's from 23% to 20%.