A global energy crisis triggered by the conflict in Iran is prompting a significant pivot towards nuclear power in Asia and Africa, with several nations accelerating atomic energy plans or boosting output from existing plants. The disruption to vital shipping routes has hit Asia, a major importer of Middle Eastern oil and gas, particularly hard, with Africa also feeling the effects.
Countries that already operate nuclear reactors are ramping up generation to secure immediate energy supplies. South Korea is increasing output and speeding up maintenance on five offline reactors, while Taiwan is debating the restart of two mothballed units. Japan, which reversed post-Fukushima nuclear shutdowns, restarted the world's largest nuclear plant in January and signed a $40 billion reactor deal with the US.
In Africa and Asia, non-nuclear states are accelerating long-term plans. Bangladesh is racing to bring online two Russian-built reactors, hoping to supply 300 megawatts by summer. Vietnam signed a deal for two Russian-designed reactors in March, and the Philippines is considering reviving a plant built after the 1973 oil crisis but never activated. Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa have also affirmed support for future reactor construction.
Nuclear power offers a carbon-free energy source, but its development can take decades, and it produces hazardous radioactive waste. Despite these challenges, the crisis has accelerated a global 'nuclear renaissance,' according to Rachel Bronson of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, as countries seek to escape fossil fuel market volatility. The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that 31 countries currently use nuclear power, providing about 10% of global electricity, with another 40 nations considering or preparing to build plants.
