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Europe’s nuclear energy expansion plans to cost €241 billion
13 June 2025
Installation of the first of two reactor pressure vessels at Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset, England. (Image: Aran Jeffries/EDF Energy)
Plans by European Union countries to expand their nuclear energy infrastructure will require €241 billion (US$278 billion) in investment.
That’s according to a new draft report set to be published by the European Commission today (13 June).
EU countries have set out plans to expand their nuclear power capacity to 109 gigawatts by 2050, up from 98 GW today.
A draft analysis of investment needs for the sector has found that new nuclear power plants would require €205 billion, plus €36 billion to extend the lifespan of existing reactors.
The funding would come from both public and private money the draft said, according to Reuters.
The Commission added that more financial instruments will be required to attract private investors put off by the risks and huge costs of nuclear projects. Recent projects in Europe have run over budget and faced long delays.
A five-year delay to planned new projects would add an extra 45 billion euros to the estimated cost of them by 2050, it said.
The draft document, first reported by Bloomberg News, said the Commission and the European Investment Bank will launch a €500 million pilot programme of power purchase agreements, for which nuclear projects will be eligible.
Twelve of the EU’s 27 member countries currently have nuclear reactors, with France holding by far the biggest fleet. Slovakia and Hungary have new reactors under construction, while countries including Poland hope to build their first plants.
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