Nuclear Energy – why uranium is back in favour

Published date: 22nd September 2025 | Author: Jake Coulson

We may be on the verge of a nuclear age.

Since its inception in the mid-20th century, it has been clear that the technology could potentially revolutionise the global energy mix. But the journey has been uneven – major disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima set adoption rates back decades, and raised questions about nuclear’s safety, environmental impact, and reliability.

Now, that trend is rapidly reversing. Japan has restarted 14 nuclear reactors since it took all of them offline following the incident in 2011, and countries that have historically been averse to nuclear – such as Germany – have either softened, or completely changed, their stances.

Somewhere along the way, the tide turned. Opinion on nuclear has become more favourable – so what happened?

“Nuclear, therefore, is far safer – and cleaner – than most other energy sources, including many renewables.”

Nuclear is much safer, and cleaner, than you may think

To understand nuclear’s popularity, we must challenge two perceptions that dominated nuclear discourse in the late 20^th and early 21^st centuries: 1) that nuclear is unsafe, and 2) that nuclear is environmentally damaging.

Much has been learned following the incidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima, and that has translated into tighter regulation, better emergency preparedness, and innovations in reactor designs. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been key to this, issuing safety standards to protect both people and the environment.

Nuclear has become one of the safest energy sources. Compared to coal, oil, biomass, natural gas, wind, solar, and hydro power – nuclear has the second-lowest mortality rate per unit of electricity production. This includes the deaths that have occurred in nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima.

Energy Source	Mortality Rate (per TWh)
Solar	0.02
Nuclear	0.03
Wind	0.04
Hydro	1.30
Natural Gas	2.82
Biomass	4.63
Oil	18.43
Coal	24.62
Brown Coal	32.72

Source: Our World in Data.

Source: Our World in Data. For illustrative purposes only.

And beyond mortality rate, nuclear power generates the fewest carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent emissions versus other energy forms such as wind, hydro, and solar over a plant’s lifecycle.

Nuclear, therefore, is far safer – and cleaner – than most other energy sources, including many renewables. Because of this, it has increasingly become part of net-zero dialogues – but it perhaps deserves even more attention given it is arguably the cleanest energy source available today.

Nuclear is reliable, no matter the weather

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. For illustrative purposes only.

As the urgency of the green energy transition has grown, much of the focus has been on renewables. Solar, wind, and hydro power offer the ability to generate electricity without burning fossil fuels, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

However, these sources face a significant challenge: intermittency. Solar panels work best when the sun is shining, wind turbines need consistent wind, and hydro relies on flowing water. In short, they’re dependent on natural conditions that can vary widely. While a solar farm in a desert may mitigate some of these issues, it still requires battery storage to supply power at night – and transporting that energy to less sunny regions poses additional logistical hurdles.

Nuclear energy avoids the problem of intermittency entirely. It has the highest capacity factor of any energy source – outperforming both traditional fossil fuels and renewables. While it does rely on a steady supply of uranium, most nuclear power plants are required to keep at least three years’ worth of fuel on site. This reduces dependence on battery storage, as the uranium can be stored safely and used as needed.

“Nuclear provides a stable, domestically controlled source of baseload power that is largely insulated from geopolitical shocks.”

Nuclear provides energy security in a time of increasing uncertainty

From 2022, Europe found itself in an energy crisis. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was one of the most significant contributing factors – the continent had been heavily reliant on Russian oil and gas, but sanctions against Russia (beginning with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, and intensifying with the invasion of Ukraine in 2022) made this much more difficult.

The European Union (EU) later released a 10-point plan to reduce reliance on Russian natural gas, with nuclear energy proposed as part of the solution.

Nuclear energy offers a unique advantage in this context: it provides a stable, domestically controlled source of baseload power that is largely insulated from geopolitical shocks. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power does not rely on continuous shipments of gas or coal that can be disrupted by war, trade disputes or supply chain failures. Most reactors can operate continuously for 18–24 months between refuelling, and many governments require plants to store several years’ worth of uranium on site, offering a built-in buffer against supply disruptions.

Crucially, uranium itself is a highly energy-dense fuel. A small volume can power a reactor for years, and global uranium supply chains are far more diversified than those for natural gas. Key producers include Canada, Kazakhstan, Namibia, and Australia – many of which are politically stable and closely aligned with Western allies.

In a world increasingly shaped by energy weaponisation and economic fragmentation, nuclear energy allows countries to reclaim a degree of energy sovereignty. By reducing dependency on imported hydrocarbons and supporting the resilience of national power grids, it plays a vital role in securing long-term energy independence.

The bottom line

We are witnessing something of a nuclear energy renaissance. The energy source has become increasingly favoured thanks to it being safe, clean, reliable, and secure – important qualities in a world increasingly preoccupied with net-zero targets and growing geopolitical instability.

Governments are rapidly getting on board – whether it’s the US pledging to quadruple capacity by 2050, or the recent deal between the UK and the US to turbocharge the buildout of new plants in both countries.

But – the sudden demand for nuclear threatens to create a shortfall in the supply of uranium. Reactor requirements are expected to grow by a third by 2030, and nearly double by 2040. Yet current mine production is forecast to halve over the same period as existing deposits are depleted. The World Nuclear Association has warned that without major investment in new and idle mines, innovative extraction methods, and expanded enrichment capacity, the industry risks a severe supply crunch.

Uranium miners will have to step up.

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Nuclear Energy – why uranium is back in favour

“Nuclear, therefore, is far safer – and cleaner – than most other energy sources, including many renewables.”

Nuclear is much safer, and cleaner, than you may think

Energy Source

Mortality Rate (per TWh)

Solar

0.02

Nuclear

0.03

Wind

0.04

Hydro

1.30

Natural Gas

2.82

Biomass

4.63

Oil

18.43

Coal

24.62

Brown Coal

32.72

Nuclear is reliable, no matter the weather

“Nuclear provides a stable, domestically controlled source of baseload power that is largely insulated from geopolitical shocks.”

Nuclear provides energy security in a time of increasing uncertainty

The bottom line

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