BEIJING: China has greenlit the construction of 10 new nuclear reactors in a sweeping $27.7 billion (200 billion yuan) expansion aimed at making it the world’s top nuclear energy producer by the end of the decade—surpassing the United States.
The decision, approved at a recent State Council meeting, will add 12,000 megawatts of new capacity through a mix of advanced reactor designs. These include eight Hualong One reactors—developed domestically by Chinese state-owned firms using U.S. and French technology foundations—and two CAP1000 units based on Westinghouse’s AP1000 design.
The reactors will be built along the eastern and southern coasts in Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi provinces. China National Nuclear Corp., China General Nuclear Power Group, and China Huaneng Group will oversee construction and operations.
Rapid Nuclear Revival
China halted new nuclear approvals in 2011 following Japan’s Fukushima disaster but resumed its program in 2019. Since 2022, the country has been approving roughly 10 new reactors per year. President Xi Jinping has emphasized nuclear energy as a key tool to reduce carbon emissions, lower dependence on imported oil (70% of China’s crude is imported), and clean up the country’s air.
By the end of 2024, China had 57 operating reactors generating nearly 59,760 megawatts, ranking it third globally behind the U.S. and France. If current trends continue, China is on pace to reach 110,000 megawatts of capacity by 2030, putting it ahead of all other nations in nuclear output.
Currently, nuclear power accounts for about 4.7% of China’s energy mix. Officials aim to raise that figure to 10% by 2040.
U.S. Also Accelerating Nuclear Push
Meanwhile, the United States is also ramping up its nuclear energy development in response to surging electricity demand—especially from AI data centers—and growing pressure to meet climate goals.
Last week, Axios reported that the White House is preparing executive orders to fast-track the deployment of nuclear reactors. The orders will reportedly leverage the Departments of Defense and Energy to bypass slowdowns from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), a move intended to modernize the regulatory process.
These steps follow the passage of the ADVANCE Act of 2024, which was signed into law in July. The bipartisan legislation streamlines licensing for advanced nuclear technologies, reduces regulatory barriers, and encourages the rollout of next-generation reactors.
The Biden administration has also laid out plans to triple U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050, viewing nuclear power as essential for delivering carbon-free electricity and enhancing energy resilience.
Nuclear’s Global Resurgence
Globally, there are 411 operational nuclear reactors producing a combined 371 gigawatts of power. A new wave of interest in advanced reactor designs—particularly small modular reactors (SMRs)—is gaining traction among tech giants and energy-intensive industries.
Amazon, for example, has invested over $1 billion into nuclear projects and is actively exploring SMR integration. Meta and Google are also evaluating nuclear solutions to power their rapidly growing AI and data infrastructure.
Analysts note that the surging demand for electricity—driven in part by the AI revolution—is breathing new life into the nuclear sector. Despite high upfront costs and lengthy timelines, China’s centralized model and state-owned enterprises have allowed it to build reactors more efficiently than Western counterparts.
With the U.S. now taking bold legislative and executive steps to revitalize its nuclear sector, the global race to dominate clean and reliable nuclear power is clearly intensifying.
