Nuclear Energy at Scale

The report argues that nuclear energy is essential for a reliable, zero-carbon energy system but has stagnated since 1990 due to high costs and slow delivery. It proposes a 'fundamental reset' of the industry, shifting from bespoke mega-projects to standardized, manufactured products. Key recommendations include the creation of Independent Nuclear Development Organizations (INDOs) to integrate project delivery, a Global Licensing Authority (GLA) to harmonize international regulations, an International Technical Support Organization (ITSO) to assist embarking nuclear nations, and an International Bank of Nuclear Infrastructure (IBNI) to expand financing access. CATF analysis suggests these combined measures could reduce overnight construction costs by as much as 60% from first-of-a-kind to Nth-of-a-kind reactors.

• Global nuclear energy output has remained flat since 1990, with recent growth driven almost entirely by China, while the scale of build-out remains far below the 15 to 250 GW per year required by various decarbonization models for 2050.
• The current nuclear business model relies on bespoke, one-at-a-time infrastructure projects, which leads to low labor productivity and significant cost overruns, as seen in the Flamanville 3 plant in France where costs were over 300% higher than budgeted.
• Shifting to a 'product-based' model using modular manufacturing and standardized parts could reduce final costs by up to 23% and delivery times by up to 50%, drawing on parallels from the shipbuilding and combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) industries.
• Repeat builds of standardized designs, particularly at single sites, can reduce costs by nearly 25% between the first and Nth units, a trend historically observed in France and South Korea.
• The lack of harmonization between national licensing regimes can increase capital costs for nuclear projects by approximately 30%.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2023). Nuclear Energy at Scale. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/17163144/nuclear-energ-at-scale.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Nuclear Energy at Scale. 2023. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/17163144/nuclear-energ-at-scale.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Nuclear Energy at Scale |date=December 2023 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/17163144/nuclear-energ-at-scale.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2023nuclear, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Nuclear Energy at Scale}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2023}, month = dec, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/17163144/nuclear-energ-at-scale.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }