China's Nuclear Surge Pushes Global Power Generation to Record High

According to the latest Statistical Review of World Energy, nuclear plants worldwide generated a record 2,845 terawatt-hours in 2025, up 1.3% from the previous year. The increase was solely attributable to China, which raised its nuclear generation by more than 34 TWh, meaning the rest of the world actually produced less than a decade earlier. The United States remained the largest producer with 826 TWh, followed by China’s 485 TWh and France’s 390 TWh.

Europe’s nuclear output fell sharply, while the Asia-Pacific region more than doubled its generation since 2015, now accounting for nearly 30% of global nuclear electricity. Despite the record, nuclear’s share of total global energy slipped to 5.17%, and China’s share of its own energy mix stayed modest at about 3.3%. If current trends persist, China could overtake the United States as the top nuclear power producer within five years.