Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period Up to 2050 : 2025 Edition

Presenting meticulous projections for energy, electricity and nuclear trends through 2050, the analysis explores two scenarios—one reflecting ongoing market dynamics and another assuming notable policy shifts. It details global and regional nuclear capacity growth from 377 GW(e) in 2024 to significant increases by mid-century.

The 45th edition of Reference Data Series No. 1 contains estimates of energy, electricity and nuclear power trends up to the year 2050. In deriving the nuclear capacity projections, all operating reactors, possible licence renewals, planned shutdowns, power uprates and plausible construction projects foreseen for the next few decades were considered. RDS-1 is organized into world and regional subsections, with global and regional nuclear power projections presented as low and high cases. The low case assumes that current market, technology and resource trends continue and there are few additional changes in explicit laws, policies and regulations affecting nuclear power. The low case projects a 50% increase in global nuclear capacity to 561 GW(e) by 2050, relative to a global operational capacity of 377 GW(e) in 2024. The high case is more ambitious, projecting an increase of 2.6 times the 2024 global operational capacity to 992 GW(e) by 2050.