---
title: "AI Sparks Nuclear Renaissance: Number of Nuclear Plants Under Construction Reaches 40-Year High"
description: "Surging electricity demand for AI has driven a 40-year record: 79 nuclear reactors are under construction worldwide, and the long-term uranium contract price has exceeded an all-time high of $214 per kilogram."
date: 2026-11-04T03:06:53.038Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ai-nuclear-renaissance-construction-record
tags: [nuclear-energy, ai-demand, uranium, wna, smr, energy-market]
author: "Darya Fomina"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# AI Sparks Nuclear Renaissance: Number of Nuclear Plants Under Construction Reaches 40-Year High

![Uranium ore rocks in the foreground with a nuclear power plant and a growth chart in the background](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/04/ai-yadernyi-renaissans-rekord-stroitelstva-aeis/ai-yadernyi-renaissans-rekord-stroitelstva-aeis-1.webp)

## Key Points

- According to WNA data as of October 16, 2026, 79 nuclear reactors are under construction worldwide—a 40-year high; another 122 are planned, and over 300 are considered prospective.
- Out of the 79 blocks under construction, 38 are in China, 8 in India, and 7 in Russia; the total capacity of installations under construction is about 78.9 GW.
- The long-term uranium contract price at the end of September 2026 reached $214 per kg, surpassing the 2007–2008 peak of $209.
- Around 70 small modular reactor (SMR) designs are under development globally, though a unified safety and licensing framework has not yet been established.
- Europe and Japan are returning to nuclear power: France is considering 14 new reactors, and Japan plans 11–14 new ones by the 2040s–2050s.

The surge in electricity consumption driven by artificial intelligence workloads and data center operations has triggered a process in global nuclear energy that industry observers call a "renaissance." According to the latest data from the World Nuclear Association (WNA), as of October 16, 2026, 79 nuclear reactors are simultaneously under construction in various countries—a record high over the past forty years. A comparable number of power units under construction was last recorded in 1986, when there were 91. It was then that the Chernobyl accident became a turning point, leading to a multi-year decline in nuclear power plant construction worldwide. The negative momentum was further compounded by the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan, which cooled investor interest in nuclear energy even further. However, the energy crisis caused by military conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, combined with the soaring electricity needs of data centers and AI, have pushed radiation safety concerns into the background.

### A Construction Portfolio of Hundreds of Units

According to the latest WNA database, out of the 79 reactors under construction, 38 are in China, eight in India, and seven in Russia. In addition to units already being built, another 122 reactors are in the planning stage, and over 300 are being considered as prospective projects. The total electrical capacity of the units under construction is approximately 78.9 GW. These are predominantly large power units: China's Hualong One and CAP1000 projects have a capacity of about 1.1–1.25 GW each, while Russia's VVER-1200 units are around 1.2 GW. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are also present in the plans but currently hold a small share of the portfolio. At the same time, transitioning from plans to actual construction will require significant financing, licensing, and manufacturing preparation, making these large portfolio figures more of a guideline than a guarantee of deployment.

### AI as a New Demand Driver

The key catalyst for acceleration has been the demand for electricity from data centers and artificial intelligence computing power. According to WNA estimates, construction of eleven new nuclear reactors began or will begin in 2026, and 201 reactors are scheduled to be commissioned over the next 15 years. Currently, 443 nuclear reactors are in operation. Even taking into account the decommissioning of certain units due to aging equipment, projections indicate that more than 600 reactors could be operational worldwide by 2040. Such a trajectory requires the industry not only to launch new projects but also to sustain growth in fuel supplies, directly impacting the uranium market.

### Small Modular Reactors: Speed Versus Safety

The greatest interest in small modular reactors comes from the United States, where SMRs are seen as the most promising in terms of investment return speed. Building a large reactor takes 10 to 15 years, whereas AI infrastructure demands do not allow for such long waiting periods; small modular reactors can theoretically be manufactured in five years. However, experts point to a significant risk: SMR developers often push operational safety issues to the background. There are currently around 70 different designs of such reactors under development worldwide, while a unified approach to their safety assessment and licensing has yet to be established, creating a regulatory gap between development paces and regulatory requirements.

### Europe and Japan Return to Nuclear

Europe is also joining the trend, as bans on the construction of new reactors and nuclear plants are gradually being lifted in countries that previously phased out "peaceful atom." In March, the European Union announced a policy of actively using nuclear energy to decarbonize energy supply and ensure energy security, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Europe's rejection of nuclear energy was a "strategic mistake." France, for instance, is considering the construction of 14 new reactors. Japan, having experienced the Fukushima tragedy, is also moving back toward nuclear power: the country plans to replace two to five reactors by the 2040s and add another nine by the 2050s, resulting in a total of 11 to 14 new reactors built.

### Uranium Prices Surge to All-Time High

The expansion of nuclear energy is already impacting uranium prices, which serve as reactor fuel. According to US research firm TradeTech, the long-term contract price at the end of September 2026 was $214 per kilogram of uranium, surpassing the historical peak of $209 per kilogram reached in 2007–2008. The rise in quotations increases the global nuclear industry's dependence on Russia, which remains a major player in the market for fuel assemblies and the raw materials needed to produce them. Against this backdrop, the industry is preparing alternative supply sources—at least for fuel, if not raw materials themselves—which will become a key factor in shaping price dynamics in the coming years.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [ИИ устроил ядерный ренессанс — число строящихся АЭС достигло максимума за 40 лет window-new](https://3dnews.ru/1150766/ii-zapustil-yaderniy-renessans-chislo-stroyashchihsya-aes-dostiglo-maksimuma-za-40-let) - Primary source: WNA data as of 16.10.2026 (79 under construction, 122 planned, 300+ prospective; 38/8/7 by country; 78.9 GW), ~70 SMR designs, 11 new reactors in 2026, 201 over 15 years, 443 in operation, forecast 600+ by 2040; France 14, Japan 11–14; TradeTech — $214/kg uranium at end of September 2026 vs peak of $209/kg in 2007–2008. All facts taken from this source without memory additions.

## FAQ

### How many nuclear reactors are currently under construction worldwide?

According to the World Nuclear Association as of October 16, 2026, 79 nuclear reactors are simultaneously under construction globally—a record for the past 40 years.

### Which countries lead in the number of reactors under construction?

Out of the 79 reactors under construction, 38 are in China, 8 in India, and 7 in Russia.

### What are SMRs and why is there a bet on them?

SMRs are small modular reactors. They are considered promising in terms of investment return speed: theoretically, they can be manufactured in five years compared to 10–15 years for a large reactor. The US shows the greatest interest in them.

### How have uranium prices changed?

According to TradeTech, the long-term contract price at the end of September 2026 was $214 per kilogram of uranium, exceeding the historical peak of $209 per kilogram reached in 2007–2008.

### Are Europe and Japan returning to nuclear energy?

Yes. In March, the EU announced a policy of actively utilizing nuclear energy, France is considering building 14 new reactors, and Japan plans to build 11–14 new reactors by the 2040s–2050s.