Nations across the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions will be substantially bolstering the size of their nuclear power production. These countries have traditionally been dependent on fossil fuels to maintain energy security, but with depleting reserves billed at higher prices and the impracticality of introducing large-scale renewable energy plants, many growing countries are increasing their reliance on nuclear power.
The Middle East and North Africa is the top emerging nuclear region in the world with 42,000 MW of planned and proposed nuclear power capacity to come online by 2030. Of these countries, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will increase nuclear power capacity the most with 20,000 MW by 2030, provided by the implementation of 14 new reactors.
Asia-Pacific is second with 26,900 MW, Europe third with 22,750 MW, and South and Central America will only introduce a relatively small 4,400 MW.
Despite both historical and recent nuclear disasters prompting some countries such as Germany, Switzerland and Belgium to bring production to a close over the next 25 years, the expanding economies of developing nations are securing the future of the global nuclear power industry