🌍Nuclear U-Turns: 4 Countries, 1 Clear Trend

Nuclear is having a global comeback moment, and this week brought a cascade of policy shifts that prove it.

Four very different countries just hit the brakes on their nuclear exits—or hit reverse entirely.

Let's break it down:

⚡ Spain: From "We're Shutting Down" to "Maybe Not"

The Spanish government has claimed the shutdowns were the industry’s idea, not due to political forces. But now the industry is calling their bluff. 

Operators of the Almaraz plant are preparing to spend €13 million to keep it running until 2030. It's their way of telling the Spanish government: we're not ready to walk away.

This investment signals a shift away from politically forced shutdowns toward practical longevity.

Almaraz is licensed through 2030, but without action now, it would have to start shutting down in 2027.

The companies are buying time to negotiate with Madrid while also demanding relief from nuclear-specific taxes like a €5.1/MWh spent fuel tax.

And this all came just weeks after a nationwide blackout—right when solar output was peaking and stable baseload was missing.

✅ Belgium: Phaseout Law? Deleted.

After 22 years, Belgium has finally scrapped its nuclear phaseout law. The new version? It's literally called the "Act on Nuclear Energy for Industrial Electricity Production."

It was the most destructive planned phaseout in history—wiping out 50% of national electricity supply in just three years.

But now: no more ban on new builds, no more fixed closure dates, and a clear signal that nuclear is back on the menu.

However: Engie, the French gas company that owns the reactors, still isn't fully on board. They want guarantees (read: money) before extending lifespans.

But the legal door is open, and the symbolism is massive: a "law against nuclear" just became a "law for nuclear."

国 Taiwan: 60 Is the New 40

Lawmakers have amended Taiwan's nuclear law to allow reactors to operate for 60 years instead of 40—a technical fix that sends a loud political signal.

Taiwan imports over 80% of its energy, and tensions with China make that a risky strategy. AI power demand is soaring, and nuclear offers a domestic, low-carbon solution.

Premier Cho Jung-tai says he won't block reactor restarts if the safety reviews check out.

Taiwan’s last reactor, Unit 2 of the Maanshan nuclear power plant (PWR), went offline 17^th May after operating for 40 years, but this amendment signals a future reboot.

🇩🇰 Denmark: Banning the Ban

Denmark just overturned part of its 1985 anti-nuclear ban—without quite admitting it.

Last Thursday, the Danish Parliament voted to launch a formal investigation into new nuclear technologies.

Doesn’t sound like much? Here’s the kicker: that vote effectively overrides the 1985 political ban that excluded nuclear from the country’s energy planning altogether.

Government agencies can now officially analyze whether nuclear has a place in Denmark’s future energy mix—a clear break from nearly 40 years of enforced atomic amnesia.

Weird twist: The motion wasn’t pushed by the ruling government—it came from the opposition. And oddly enough, most of the votes against the final version came from pro-nuclear parties, calling it too soft. They wanted a full repeal of the ban and an explicit go-ahead for new projects.

🔹 Bottom line:

From conservative Spain to progressive Denmark, countries that once swore off nuclear are now scrambling to keep their reactors online—or to bring them back. Existing, already-built nuclear plants are the most valuable power plants in the world: they're cheap to run, reliable, and perfect for powering giant AI datacenters.

The phaseout era is ending. Welcome to the nuclear re-up.

⚛️For the Nu-clearly Curious

🪓US Energy Department Slashes 47 Burdensome and Costly Regulations
The DOE just kicked off what it’s calling the largest deregulatory effort in its history, proposing to slash 47 federal rules to “unleash American energy.” Most of the cuts target efficiency standards and reporting requirements—so while the impact on uranium and nuclear isn’t yet clear, the move signals a broader push to fast-track domestic energy production.

🤖UK needs more nuclear to power AI, says Amazon boss
The UK needs more nuclear energy to power the data centres needed for artificial intelligence (AI), the boss of the world's largest cloud computing company has said. Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is part of the retail giant Amazon, plans to spend £8bn on new data centres in the UK over the next four years. Matt Garman, chief executive of AWS, told the BBC nuclear is a "great solution" to data centres' energy needs as "an excellent source of zero carbon, 24/7 power".

⛏️Utah uranium project fast-tracked under US emergency procedures
The accelerated review is part of a strategic response to the national energy emergency declared by President Donald Trump in January, the department said, and is expected to "significantly contribute to meeting urgent energy demands" as well as addressing national energy security concerns. Velvet-Wood is the first uranium project to be prioritised under the emergency procedures.

🤝Vietnam and Russia to accelerate nuclear power plant deal
Vietnam and Russia have reportedly come to a consensus to accelerate discussions regarding the establishment of nuclear power facilities in Vietnam. Vietnam is reviving its nuclear ambitions after nearly a decade on pause, projecting up to 6.4 GW of capacity by 2035.

🏭Dow Chemical Just Went Nuclear (x4)

A new industrial nuclear project is moving forward in Texas—and it’s not your average utility.

The NRC just accepted Dow Chemical’s—one of the largest chemical manufacturers in the world—application to build four Xe-100 reactors at its Seadrift manufacturing site in Calhoun County, Texas.

At the heart of the project are four Xe-100 reactors from X-energy. Each one generates about 80 MW of electricity and, crucially, delivers high-temperature heat—perfect for industrial processes like those used at Dow’s mega-scale chemical facility.

The reactors use helium to cool their cores and run on TRISO fuel (tiny uranium kernels wrapped in multiple ceramic layers that can handle meltdown-level heat without, well, melting down.)

Because they’re high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, it unlocks something traditional light-water reactors can’t provide: a clean, reliable source of both power and steam.

The project is still in early stages—this permit only covers construction, not operation, but if approved, it will mark a major milestone in commercializing process-heat-powered nuclear for heavy industry.

That kicks off the official regulatory review for what could become one of the first multi-unit advanced reactor sites in the U.S.—and a bold signal that nuclear isn’t just for utilities anymore.

🤓3 Things You Didn’t Know About Advanced Reactors

New reactors, new rules. Next-gen nuclear designs that are safer, cleaner, and ready to power a decarbonized future.

Here are 3 things you need to know about advanced reactors—and why they are a total game-changer for energy and climate.

👇Watch it here👇 

🌊How Nuclear Traces Ocean Currents

Welcome back to Atomic Alternatives—where we explore how nuclear tech quietly shows up in wild, unexpected places.

This week, we’re going deep... like, ocean-current deep.

Turns out, you can track the movement of entire ocean systems using nuclear fallout. Yep, seriously.

After mid-20th-century nuclear weapons testing, trace amounts of radioactive isotopes like cesium-137 and tritium ended up in the world’s oceans. Not great for Cold War vibes—but amazing for science.

🔬 Here’s how it works:

Researchers use these isotopes as radiological breadcrumbs to trace ocean currents, water mixing, and deep-sea circulation patterns. Because we know when and where the isotopes entered the ocean, their presence today helps map how water masses have moved over decades.

🧭 Why it matters:

• 🌡️ Climate modeling: Better ocean current data = more accurate climate predictions.

• 🐠 Ecosystem health: Currents impact marine life distribution, nutrient cycles, and fisheries.

• 🚢 Pollution tracking: Understanding currents helps model how contaminants spread (oil spills).

TL;DR: Radiation isn’t just fallout—it’s a GPS for ocean currents, climate models, and pollution tracking.

😂Meme of The Week

Stay charged, stay critical (like a reactor), and keep glowing.😎

– Fredrik
📬[email protected]
🔗 nuclearupdate.com