UN Nuclear Agency Chief Forecasts Tripling of Nuclear Power by 2060

The head of the United Nations nuclear agency predicts that the global use of nuclear power could more than triple by 2060, driven by increasing electrification, the energy demands of artificial intelligence data centers, and a growing appetite among technology companies for reliable, carbon-free power sources.

Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated this in the agency’s annual report to the U.N. General Assembly. He emphasized that nuclear energy is increasingly seen by many nations as crucial for enhancing energy security, positioning it as an option on par with solar energy and safer than other alternatives.

"In 2025, more than 400 operating reactors in more than 30 countries produced 10% of global electricity and a quarter of its low-carbon electricity,” Grossi reported. “More than 60 new reactors are under construction and the projections for future nuclear capacity have shifted dramatically upward.”

Beyond the expansion of nuclear energy for peaceful applications, Grossi also addressed ongoing concerns regarding nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea. He highlighted the "unprecedented threats to nuclear safety" stemming from the war in Ukraine and noted worrying indications that other unnamed countries are considering the acquisition of nuclear weapons.

Regarding Iran's nuclear program, Grossi stated that the technical groundwork for a diplomatic agreement has been laid. "I call on the parties to redouble their efforts towards agreeing a diplomatic solution that includes the IAEA's indispensable verification role, without which no agreement can be sustainable,” he urged. “IAEA inspectors must be able to return to Iran expeditiously. That requires a return to the negotiating table.”

In North Korea, where leader Kim Jong Un presides over an expanding nuclear program without IAEA oversight, Grossi warned that the situation "stands as a stark reminder of the consequences when red lines are crossed” in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibiting nuclear weapons development.

Concerning the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Europe's largest, Grossi described its situation as precarious, citing frequent power losses, limited backup diesel supplies, and the constant threat posed by military activity to the plant and its personnel.

On a more positive development, Grossi reported significant progress by the IAEA in clarifying and resolving long-standing questions about Syria's nuclear activities. This progress has been achieved through engagement with the government of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Earlier in September, it was reported that the former government under Bashar Assad was constructing a nuclear reactor intended to produce fissile material for potential use in nuclear weapons.