Game in the Brain

For decades, the global nuclear energy sector moved at a glacial pace, paralyzed by massive upfront costs and shifting political tides. But in early 2026, two unprecedented forces collided to permanently alter the global grid: the voracious electricity demands of the artificial intelligence boom, and the catastrophic, sudden closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran war.

With approximately 15 million barrels of daily oil and massive amounts of Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) choked off from the global market, nations heavily reliant on imported energy are in full crisis mode. The urgency to secure firm, 24/7, sovereign power has forced countries outside the United States to abandon phase-out plans and aggressively fast-track nuclear projects.

Here is how the rest of the world is pivoting in 2026.

🇯🇵 Japan: A Desperate Return to the Atom

No developed nation is as vulnerable to the Hormuz closure as Japan, which relies almost entirely on imported LNG and coal to keep its grid alive. The geopolitical shock has forced Tokyo to immediately override local opposition and accelerate its reactor restart program.

TEPCO’s successful restart of the massive Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility in early 2026 was just the beginning. The government has explicitly tied future reactor approvals to national survival, aiming to displace millions of tons of LNG imports. The goal of reaching 20% nuclear generation by 2040 is no longer just a climate target; it is a vital national security imperative.

Verification: https://envirotecmagazine.com/2026/02/13/japan-restarts-nuclear-power-generation/

🇪🇺 The European U-Turn

The loss of Gulf energy has cemented a complete nuclear policy reversal across the European Union. Prior to the crisis, Europe was deeply divided on nuclear energy. Today, those divisions have evaporated in the face of rolling brownout threats.

• France’s Hegemony: France was already leading the European nuclear charge, but the government has now fast-tracked construction timelines for its fleet of six new EPR-2 large-scale reactors, with legislation introduced for an additional eight.
• The Phase-Outs Canceled: Belgium formally reversed its nuclear phase-out plans to keep its remaining reactors online. Italy has lifted its historical ban on nuclear power. Even Germany is facing immense internal pressure from its industrial sector to reconsider the operational status of its recently shuttered fleet, though restarting them remains an extreme technical hurdle.
• Eastern Europe’s Boom: Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic are aggressively pushing forward with new builds, leveraging both traditional large-scale reactors and planned Small Modular Reactor (SMR) deployments to sever any remaining reliance on volatile Eastern or Middle Eastern gas pipelines.

🇨🇦 Canada’s Quiet Dominance

While Europe and Asia react to the crisis, Canada is capitalizing on decades of consistent nuclear investment. Unburdened by the Hormuz crisis due to its domestic energy resources, Canada is stepping up as a premier exporter of nuclear technology and uranium.

Domestically, the province of Ontario has become a global showcase for nuclear expansion. The government recently approved the life extension and massive refurbishment of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, saving over 2,000 MW of capacity from retirement. Simultaneously, site preparation is well underway at Darlington for a fleet of BWRX-300 SMRs, positioning Canada as the first Western nation to successfully deploy commercial SMRs this decade.

Verification: https://www.opg.com/powering-ontario/our-generation/nuclear/pickering-nuclear-generation-station/

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Appendix: 2026 Global Nuclear Tracker

Below is a comprehensive tracker of the dormant plants being revived and the new capacity entering the planning and approval pipelines across the globe.

🔄 Plants Being Revived or Refurbished (Life Extensions)

• Kashiwazaki-Kariwa (Japan): Unit 6 restarted in February 2026; Unit 7 undergoing final safety checks for imminent restart.
• Shimane Unit 2 (Japan): Cleared to restart in late 2025/early 2026.
• Onagawa Unit 2 (Japan): Restart processes finalized, returning 825 MW to the grid.
• Takahama Units 1 & 2 (Japan): Aging reactors granted unprecedented lifespan extensions to remain operational.
• Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (Canada): Ontario government formally reversed its decommissioning plan; Units 5-8 will undergo a multi-billion dollar refurbishment to operate past 2050.
• Bruce Power Generating Station (Canada): Currently undergoing a massive Major Component Replacement (MCR) project to extend the life of its 8 reactors, ensuring it remains one of the largest operating nuclear facilities in the world.
• Doel 4 and Tihange 3 (Belgium): Lifespans formally extended by 10 years following a rapid legislative reversal of the country’s nuclear phase-out.
• Cernavodă Unit 1 (Romania): Undergoing a $1.8 billion refurbishment to extend its operational life by 30 years.

🏗️ New Plants Undergoing Planning, Approval, and Construction

Europe:

• Penly Nuclear Power Plant (France): Site preparation underway for two massive EPR-2 reactors (1,670 MW each).
• Gravelines Nuclear Power Plant (France): Planning and approval phase for two additional EPR-2 reactors.
• Sizewell C (United Kingdom): Two EPR reactors (3,200 MW total) currently moving from the funding phase into active site earthworks.
• Wylfa Newydd (United Kingdom): Site purchased by Great British Energy; currently in the design selection phase for either a large gigawatt reactor or a fleet of Rolls-Royce SMRs.
• Pomerania NPP (Poland): Poland’s first nuclear plant. Design and environmental approvals are active for three AP1000 reactors, targeting a 2033 completion.
• Dukovany Unit 5 (Czech Republic): Contract negotiations finalized; moving into the design and licensing phase for a new reactor.

Asia & Middle East:

• Barakah Unit 4 (UAE): The final unit of the massive Barakah project, transitioning into full commercial operation in 2026, shielding the UAE’s domestic grid from the current regional instability.
• Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (Bangladesh): Units 1 and 2 (VVER-1200) are navigating final fuel loading and licensing delays, expected to provide critical baseload power to the region.
• Shin Hanul Units 3 & 4 (South Korea): Construction fully resumed following a domestic policy shift favoring nuclear baseload over imported LNG.
• Inland Fleet Expansion (China): Following the global energy crisis, Beijing has greenlit the resumption of its suspended inland nuclear program, with multiple Hualong One reactor projects entering the site-approval phase in provinces like Hunan and Hubei.

Canada (SMRs):

• Darlington New Nuclear Project (Canada): Site preparation and early construction works for a fleet of up to four GE Hitachi BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactors.
• Point Lepreau SMR (Canada): New Brunswick is advancing approvals for advanced molten salt and sodium-cooled SMR designs to be built adjacent to the existing Lepreau station.

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AI and Nuclear Renaissance Panel

This panel discussion explores how digitalization and AI are fundamentally shifting the economic demands and technical designs driving the global nuclear resurgence.