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A group of countries and large energy users, including some big name tech firms, have pledged their support to a goal of ramping up nuclear capacity around the world.
On the sidelines of CERAWeek 2025 energy conference in Houston, the World Nuclear Association (WNA) announced the support of a number of countries and big name organisations including Google, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Dow to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050.
Tech firms are no strangers to nuclear energy. In October 2024 Amazon signed three agreements on developing nuclear power technology called small modular reactors (SMRs).
Image credit Amazon
Nuclear pledge
Days before that Google had signed the world’s first corporate agreement to buy power from multiple small modular nuclear reactors.
And in May 2023 Microsoft signed a nuclear fusion power deal with Helion Energy, the Sam Altman (OpenAI’s CEO) backed clean energy provider.
And now Google, Amazon and Meta Platforms have pledged their support support the goal to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050.
The cross-sector pledge was designed to emphasise nuclear energy’s essential role in enhancing energy resiliency and security and providing continuous firm clean energy.
Besides Google, Amazon and Meta Platforms, the pledge was also supported by 14 major global banks and financial institutions, as well as 140 nuclear industry companies and 31 countries, including Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, UK and United States.
“Today, a cross-industry group of large energy users signed a pledge supporting the goal of at least tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050,” said WNA. “This is the first time major businesses beyond the nuclear sector have come together to publicly back an extensive and concerted expansion of nuclear power to meet increasing global energy demand. They also urge other energy users to support the goal to triple nuclear energy.”
The collective call, facilitated by World Nuclear Association, brings together global companies recognising their need for nuclear’s clean, firm and abundant energy to power their future growth, while also meeting goals of greater energy resiliency and security.
Sustainable future
“We are proud to sign a pledge in support of tripling nuclear capacity by 2050, as nuclear power will be pivotal in building a reliable, secure, and sustainable energy future,” said Lucia Tian, Head of Clean Energy & Decarbonization Technologies, Google. “Google will continue to work alongside our partners to accelerate the commercialisation of advanced nuclear technologies that can provide the around-the-clock clean energy necessary to meet growing electricity demand around the world.”
“Accelerating nuclear energy development will be critical to strengthening our nation’s security, meeting future energy demands, and addressing climate change,” added Brandon Oyer, Head of Americas Energy and Water for Amazon Web Service. “Amazon supports the World Nuclear Association’s pledge, and is proud to have invested more than $1 billion over the last year in nuclear energy projects and technologies, which is part of our broader Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040.”
“The unprecedented support announced today by some of the world’s most influential companies to at least triple global nuclear capacity by 2050 sends a clear signal to accelerate policy, finance and regulatory changes that enable the rapid expansion of nuclear power,” noted Sama Bilbao y Leon, Director General of World Nuclear Association, which represents the global nuclear industry and led the Pledge initiative.
The pledge is expected to gain more support over the coming months from industries including maritime, aviation and oil and gas, the WNA said.
Nuclear energy currently generates 9 percent of the world’s electricity from 439 reactors, the WNA has indicated.
As of early 2025, the world has only around 411 nuclear power reactors operating, with a combined capacity of 371 gigawatts.
