Political drivers for nuclear highlighted by nucleareurope at NIA Supply Chain Conference
On 8 October 2025, nucleareurope Legal and International Relations Director Berta Picamal participated in a London-held Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) conference on the topic of the UK nuclear supply chain. The event brought together key stakeholders from the British government, the nuclear industry and supply chain actors.
As part of the event, Berta gave a presentation on political drivers for nuclear in Europe. Following an overview of nucleareurope’s structure, activities and policy priorities, she highlighted the key role played by nuclear in Europe, noting that in 2024, nuclear remained the single largest source of electricity generation in the EU, accounting for close to quarter of the total electricity production.
“Not only is nuclear currently playing a major role Europe, it is set to remain a pillar of the European energy system in the future, with installed nuclear capacity projected to reach close to 150 Gigawatt (GW) by 2050, compared to 100 GW today” stressed Berta, adding that many Member States have announced plans to continue using nuclear, or build new capacities. She highlighted recent events, such as the Nordic-Baltic Nuclear Investment Summit, or the European Nuclear Energy Forum, which showcased policymakers’ increasing commitment to supporting nuclear.
Berta however noted the importance of a stable regulatory framework to support investments in nuclear. In this respect, she gave an overview of key upcoming European policy files, such as the Electrification Action Plan and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). She also reiterated the need for technology neutrality in European policy, highlighting for example the importance of ensuring that nuclear is not excluded from some EU funding and financing mechanisms.
Concluding her intervention, Berta stressed that the role played by nuclear is increasingly recognised across Europe, not only by governments but also by businesses and consumers, represented for example in the recently launched European Business Nuclear Alliance.