The IAEA has revised up its annual projections for the expansion of nuclear power for a fourth successive year, the Director General said in his opening statement to the General Conference today. World nuclear capacity is now projected to increase by 2.5 times the current capacity by 2050, in the IAEA’s high case scenario, including a significant contribution from small modular reactors (SMRs). The increased projections published in Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2050, released today, aligns with the global consensus on the need to accelerate the deployment of nuclear energy. All operating reactors, potential lifetime extensions, possible power uprates, planned shutdowns and expected construction projects in the next few decades were considered in the estimates. The new publication states that achieving the high case scenario for nuclear capacity will depend on enabling factors: national policies, supporting investment, demonstration projects for new reactors, investment in grids, supply chain management, work force development, and regulatory collaboration and global harmonization – particularly for SMRs.
