Nuclear Power's Quiet Comeback, Explained
Nuclear power fell out of favor for decades. Here's why it's back on the table in climate planning.
After decades of stalled construction following high-profile accidents and ballooning project costs, nuclear power is being reconsidered as part of the shift away from fossil fuels, largely because it produces reliable, around-the-clock power without direct carbon emissions.
Why small modular reactors changed the conversation
Traditional nuclear plants are enormous, expensive, decade-long construction projects. Smaller, factory-built reactor designs promise lower upfront costs and faster construction, though none have yet been built and operated commercially at the scale their designs promise.
What's still holding it back
Public concern about safety and waste storage, genuinely long construction timelines even for newer designs, and high financing costs continue to make nuclear a harder sell than renewables in many places, even as several governments increase support for it.