The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Friday that global nuclear power capacity could more than triple by 2060, driven by electrification, the rise of artificial intelligence data centers, and the technology sector’s demand for reliable, carbon-free energy.
Presenting the International Atomic Energy Agency’s annual report to the UN General Assembly, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said a growing number of nations view nuclear energy as essential to energy security. He stressed that nuclear power is on par with solar energy in terms of safety and is “safer than every other option.”
“In 2025, more than 400 operating reactors in over 30 countries produced 10 percent of global electricity and a quarter of its low-carbon electricity,” Grossi stated. “More than 60 new reactors are under construction, and projections for future nuclear capacity have shifted dramatically upward.”
Beyond the expansion of peaceful nuclear energy, Grossi addressed pressing proliferation and safety concerns. He highlighted the “unprecedented threats to nuclear safety” stemming from the war in Ukraine, the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, and reports that unnamed countries are considering acquiring nuclear weapons.
Regarding Iran, whose nuclear facilities were struck by the US last year prior to the outbreak of war with Israel on Feb. 28, Grossi informed member states that the technical groundwork for a diplomatic agreement has been completed. He urged the parties to redouble efforts toward a deal that preserves the IAEA’s verification role, calling it indispensable for any sustainable accord. “IAEA inspectors must be able to return to Iran expeditiously. That requires a return to the negotiating table,” he said.
On North Korea, where leader Kim Jong Un continues to advance a nuclear program without IAEA oversight, Grossi warned the situation “stands as a stark reminder of the consequences when red lines are crossed” in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
In Ukraine, he singled out the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant—Europe’s largest—as remaining “in a precarious position,” citing frequent power losses, limited backup diesel supplies, and military activity threatening the facility and its personnel.
On a positive note, Grossi reported “significant progress” in clarifying and resolving outstanding questions regarding Syria’s nuclear activities after nearly two decades of uncertainty. He attributed the breakthrough to engagement with the government of interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. In September, the agency reported that the ousted Bashar al-Assad government had been constructing a nuclear reactor configured to produce fissile material potentially usable in nuclear weapons.
