Nuclear power is winning support from tech companies, utilities and governments seeking carbon-free, round-the-clock energy to fuel an artificial intelligence boom. In October, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump added fresh impetus ¡ª advancing an $80 billion plan to subsidize new facilities and fast-track experimental designs.
And yet in much of the world ¡ª from the U.S. to France, Europe¡¯s nuclear powerhouse ¡ª those lofty ambitions are at odds with the reality of an industry hollowed out by decades of stagnation.
An analysis of company announcements, construction pipelines and industry forecasts suggest the current push comes too late to stop China¡¯s nuclear capacity from overtaking the U.S. fleet at the start of the next decade. Today, the U.S. is the biggest producer of electricity from splitting atoms, but its output will plateau over the next decade. Others, like Japan, are struggling to maintain their capacities.
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