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Global Nuclear Reactor Construction Market - Size, Share, Trends, Opportunities, and Forecast, 2021-2031F | SMRs and AI Data Centers Propel Growth to USD 65.41 Billion

GlobeNewswire

Dublin, Oct. 14, 2026 -- "Nuclear Reactor Construction Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031F" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global nuclear reactor construction market is projected to grow from USD 54.72 billion in 2025 to USD 65.41 billion by 2031, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.02%. Market expansion is being supported by rising demand for low-carbon baseload electricity, stronger national energy security strategies, and government commitments to achieve net-zero emissions.

The market covers engineering, procurement, and construction activities associated with nuclear power facilities. According to the World Nuclear Association, 70 nuclear reactors were under construction globally in 2025, with significant capacity development taking place across Asia. However, high upfront capital requirements, complex financing structures, and extended construction schedules continue to affect the pace of project deployment.

Market Drivers: Growing electricity consumption from artificial intelligence infrastructure and hyperscale data centers is creating new demand for reliable, carbon-free power. Technology companies require continuous electricity supplies to support energy-intensive computing operations while meeting corporate sustainability goals. This trend is driving direct investment and collaboration between hyperscale businesses and advanced nuclear energy developers.

In October 2024, Amazon Web Services announced an investment of approximately $500 million through a Series C-1 financing round to support X-energy and the development of advanced nuclear projects. Investments of this scale can provide developers with the financial resources needed to advance reactor designs, strengthen supply chains, and prepare projects for construction.

Government decarbonization policies are also reinforcing the long-term outlook for nuclear reactor construction. The International Atomic Energy Agency's September 2024 estimates indicated that global nuclear generating capacity could reach 950 gigawatts by 2050 under its high-case projection. In China, the State Council approved five nuclear power projects comprising 11 reactors in 2024, representing an estimated investment of approximately 220 billion yuan. These approvals demonstrate how national energy policies can accelerate nuclear infrastructure development.

Market Challenges: Nuclear reactor projects require substantial capital years before commercial operations and revenue generation begin. Long development periods expose investors and utilities to interest accumulation, liquidity constraints, regulatory uncertainty, and construction risk. As a result, many projects depend on government financing, loan guarantees, or other public-private funding structures.

Project delays and budget overruns remain major concerns. The International Energy Agency reported in 2025 that new nuclear projects in advanced economies experienced average construction delays of approximately eight years, while final costs reached nearly 2.5 times initial budget estimates. These pressures can weaken commercial viability and cause utilities to reconsider or postpone new reactor investments.

Market Trends: Small Modular Reactor (SMR) commercialization is reshaping the nuclear reactor construction market. SMRs use standardized designs and factory manufacturing to support scalable deployment, reduce on-site construction complexity, and potentially lower initial capital requirements compared with conventional gigawatt-class facilities.

National SMR programs are progressing from feasibility assessments to procurement and deployment. In June 2025, the U.K. government selected Rolls-Royce as its preferred bidder for the country's first fleet of modular reactors and committed more than £2.5 billion to the program. This investment is expected to support domestic manufacturing, supply chain development, and reactor commercialization.

Developers are also evaluating decommissioned coal facilities as potential sites for advanced nuclear projects. Brownfield locations can provide access to high-voltage transmission infrastructure, cooling water rights, established transportation networks, and experienced energy-sector workforces. Reusing these assets may reduce development costs while supporting industrial community revitalization.

TerraPower's Kemmerer project in Wyoming reflects this emerging strategy. Following the completion of a safety review reported in December 2025, the developer confirmed plans to begin commercial operation of a 345-megawatt reactor near an existing coal facility by 2031. Coal-to-nuclear development could help accelerate capacity additions by integrating advanced reactor technology with established energy infrastructure.

Key Market Players:

  • GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Inc.
  • Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
  • KEPCO Engineering & Construction Inc.
  • SKODA JS a.s.
  • China National Nuclear Corporation
  • Bilfinger SE
  • Larsen & Toubro Limited
  • Doosan Corporation

Report Scope: The global nuclear reactor construction market is segmented by reactor type, application, and region.

Nuclear Reactor Construction Market, by Reactor Type:

  • Pressurized Water Reactors
  • Boiling Water Reactors
  • Advanced Reactors

Nuclear Reactor Construction Market, by Application:

  • Baseload Electricity Generation
  • Desalination & Process Heat
  • Marine Propulsion
  • Others

Nuclear Reactor Construction Market, by Region:

  • North America
  • Europe
  • Asia Pacific
  • South America
  • Middle East & Africa
Report AttributeDetails
No. of Pages182
Forecast Period2025 - 2031
Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025$54.72 Billion
Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2031$65.41 Billion
Compound Annual Growth Rate3.0%
Regions CoveredGlobal


For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/y8gyco

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