Energy leaders from around the world convened in Durban last week for the first ever high level G20 meeting on nuclear energy, held amid rising projections for nuclear power expansion. Jointly organized by South Africa’s Department of Electricity & Energy and the IAEA, the conference brought together energy ministers and high level representatives from G20 countries, invited guest countries and the International Energy Agency (IEA).
“In Africa, as in the rest of the world, nuclear power is increasingly recognized as a source of reliable, safe and affordable energy,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi during his keynote address. “The IAEA is and will always be ready to support Africa and the G20 in turning this potential into lasting progress.”
The global consensus on the need to bolster nuclear power capacity has been backed by efforts to increase access to financing, including by the World Bank, and efforts to streamline deployment.
Many of the 31 nuclear operating countries, including South Africa, are looking to build new capacity and extend the lifetime of existing reactors, and around three dozen newcomer countries are either considering the introduction of nuclear power or actively preparing infrastructure. Egypt is poised to become Africa’s second operating country as the construction of its inaugural El Dabaa nuclear power plant nears completion, while Bangladesh and Türkiye plan to commission their first units within the next few years.
The IAEA is participating in the G20 for the second year in a row, building on the cooperation that started under the G20’s Brazilian presidency last year.
According to the International Energy Agency, around half a billion Africans lack electricity access, and by 2030 the continent will be home to about 20% of the world’s population — highlighting the need to scale up clean, reliable power, including nuclear.
In August 2025, the IAEA released the Outlook for Nuclear Energy in Africa as part of its collaboration with the South African G20 presidency. The report outlines nuclear power prospects on the continent and what is needed for it to meet Africa’s growing energy demand.
After a press conference with Mr Grossi and South Africa’s Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Henri Paillere, Head of the IAEA’s Planning and Economic Studies Section, presented a new publication Coal to Nuclear: Supporting a Clean Energy Transition, the IAEA’s latest contribution to G20 work on nuclear power. The publication explores the benefits of repurposing former coal power plant sites to support reactor deployments, such as job creation and improved air quality. It also reviews technical considerations, including site selection and the feasibility of using existing infrastructure, and financing requirements.
“This IAEA publication on coal-to-nuclear transitions is both timely and necessary,” said Ramokgopa. “It offers a practical pathway for countries, particularly those with established coal infrastructure, to accelerate their energy transitions while retaining grid stability, enabling industrialization and safeguarding jobs.”
The conference closed with a panel discussion on the role that nuclear power could play in Africa’s energy future, with a forward-looking focus on technologies, strategies and implementation. According to the latest IAEA projections, nuclear generating capacity on the continent will triple by 2030 in the high case scenario compared with 2024 capacity. That same scenario has capacity growing sixteenfold by mid-century.
Speakers from nuclear power-related organizations in South Africa as well as the IAEA and the Electric Power Research Institute discussed enabling conditions for deployment, financing models, international cooperation and the importance of proactive stakeholder engagement for long-term success.
“Nuclear offers a huge opportunity to industrialize Africa and enable the achievement of its goal of providing a better life for its citizens,” said Loyiso Tyabashe, CEO of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation.
Globally, at the end of 2024, 417 nuclear power reactors were operational, with a global capacity of 377 gigawatts electric (GW(e). In the high case projection, the IAEA estimates that global nuclear operational capacity will more than double by 2050 – with small modular reactors (SMRs) expected to play a pivotal role in this expansion.
