Nuclear Industry Outlook 2026: Priorities, Projects and Key Events
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Shift from ambition to action drives 2026 agenda – Director General Sama Bilbao y León says the sector must secure final investment decisions, attract private finance in places like Poland and the UK, and strengthen the supply chain, highlighted by the second World Nuclear Supply Chain Conference in Manila and the upcoming 2026 Supply Chain Report [1].
Multiple new reactors slated to start or break ground – The first unit at Rooppur (Bangladesh) and Akkuyu (Turkey) are expected to operate, Paks II (Hungary) will receive its first concrete early in the year, while projects advance in the Czech Republic, Poland, and SMRs across the USA and Canada, with Darlington (Canada) already under construction and demonstration sites emerging elsewhere [1].
China’s pipeline remains robust; India targets 100 GW by 2047 – China will continue building reactors on schedule, showcasing industrial capacity, while India reforms its Atomic Energy Act and liability laws to invite international partners and boost private‑sector involvement toward its 100 GW expansion goal [1].
Finland to operate its Onkalo geological repository – 2026 will see the first deep‑geological waste facility go live in Onkalo, Finland, offering a policy‑driven model for nuclear waste management; Sweden and France are close behind in commissioning similar sites [1].
Chernobyl’s 40th and Fukushima’s 15th anniversaries prompt safety reviews – The industry will use these milestones to reaffirm lessons learned, highlight improved global safety culture, and compare nuclear risks with those of fossil‑fuel use and climate change [1].
Packed calendar of global nuclear events – Highlights include the World Economic Forum in Davos (Jan 19), India Energy Week in Goa, CERAWeek in Texas (Mar), World Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference in Monaco (Apr), World Nuclear Supply Chain Conference in Manila (May), World Nuclear Symposium in London (Sep), plus Africa Energy Week, Singapore International Energy Week, the World Energy Congress in Saudi Arabia and COP31 in Turkey [1].
- Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association – “It is essential that we move from ambition to action… we need to see many final investment decisions and more countries moving forward with nuclear projects.”
- Sama Bilbao y León – “The entering into operation of the geological repository in Onkalo, Finland… will be a key opportunity to show the world that waste issues are mostly policy problems, not technology problems.”