Powering Europe: why nuclear needs enablers, not bottlenecks

Europe's energy transition is accelerating, but the gap between ambition and delivery keeps widening. Electricity demand is rising faster than overall energy use, yet the infrastructure meant to sustain it is lagging behind.

We are building renewables at record pace, but storage, grids and stable baseload generation aren't keeping up. The result? Blackouts, wild price swings, and growing pressure on Europe's industrial competitiveness.

That is why half of EU countries have turned to one source that can steady the grid and cut emissions at scale: nuclear power. 

Today, nuclear generates roughly a quarter of the EU’s total electricity and nearly half of its carbon-free electricity, making it critical for achieving climate targets and replacing fossil-based generation.

In 2023, the Nuclear Alliance of Member States has set a target of 150GW installed nuclear capacity in the EU by 2050, and interest is spreading. Italy is reopening the debate, and Poland just received the Commission´s green light to develop up to 3.75 GW of new nuclear capacity.

Nuclear energy complements renewables, it doesn't compete with them. When the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine, it keeps the lights on and prices stable. But its potential stretches further. Hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement and chemicals, or even district heating, can use nuclear heat to cut emissions and costs.

For instance, the Czech Republic launched a project piping heat from the Dukovany nuclear power plant to Brno, the second largest city in the CZ with more than 250 000 inhabitants. This is a glimpse of what the future looks like: affordable, clean, and locally produced power.

Meanwhile, demand from data centres is set to explode, with global investment nearing $580 billion in 2025, according to the International Energy Agency

Europe's geopolitical reality only makes the need clearer. With Russian gas being phased out and LNG supply chains under strain due to shaky transatlantic relations, the EU must urgently rebuild its own sovereignty. Thanks to European energy market and interconnection, consumers across the European continent can benefit from the nuclear electricity coming from 101 nuclear reactors based in 13 Member States.

Nuclear is European, rooted in local supply chains skilled workforces, and advanced research. Supporting the entire value chain, from fuel to skills to research and innovation, is not an option but an obligation.

As the European Commission finalises its nuclear strategy, it has the chance to pivot from hesitation to enablement. That means streamlined state aid procedures, faster licensing, access to EU funding, and a financing framework that treats nuclear and renewables equally. The long promised and rarely practiced technological neutrality must finally become a guiding principle.

New technologies are part of the opportunity. Small modular reactors and advanced designs could make nuclear more flexible, scalable and suitable for industrial clusters and district heating networks. But without regulatory cooperation between member states, common standards, and clear, widely recognised codes and rules, these innovations will stay stuck in pilot‑project limbo. The work of the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs should not gather dust on a shelf; it should shape legislation and investment decisions.

We cannot afford energy dogmas. Europe has set itself an ambitious 2050 climate neutrality target. Reaching it while preserving strategic autonomy and economic strength will require every credible low‑carbon option on the table.

The nuclear question is not whether to build, but how fast — and whether Brussels will clear the path or continue to stand in the way.

It’s time for Europe to choose enablers, not bottlenecks.

By Alena Mastantuono, Vice-President of the EU Advisory body – the European Economic and Social Committee and EESC Employers' Group Member

Op-Ed published online by Canale Energia (Italian media outlet) and Diário do Minho (Portuguese media outlet).