The European Union’s ambition to significantly expand its nuclear energy capacity by 2050 will require an estimated €241 billion ($278 billion) in investment, according to a draft analysis by the European Commission. The Commission is warning that unless new financial tools are introduced to mitigate the inherent risks of nuclear projects, private capital may remain on the sidelines.

According to the draft report—set to be released officially Friday—EU member states plan to increase nuclear generation capacity from today’s 98 gigawatts (GW) to 109 GW by 2050, involving both the construction of new reactors and the life extension of existing ones.

The European Union is weighing changes to its landmark methane emissions law, as pressure mounts from industry players and member states who fear the regulation could jeopardize critical natural gas imports—especially from the United States. A draft document circulating among EU energy ministers indicates that the bloc may ask the European Commission to revisit and potentially streamline the methane rules, which came into force this year.

At stake is the EU’s attempt to balance its ambitious climate agenda with its immediate energy security needs—especially as it shifts away from Russian pipeline gas and deepens its reliance on seaborne liquefied natural gas (LNG), primarily from the U.S.

The World Bank has formally lifted its ban on financing nuclear energy projects in developing nations, signaling a strategic pivot toward a more flexible, technology-neutral approach to electrification and development. The policy change was announced in a memo to staff by World Bank President Ajay Banga following a board-level discussion that, while still divided on natural gas, produced consensus on nuclear energy.

This decision reverses a 2013 prohibition that reflected long-standing concerns over safety, cost, and environmental risk, but which critics argued left the developing world without access to low-carbon, baseload power options. By reintroducing nuclear as a viable energy source for client countries, the World Bank is positioning itself to play a broader role in supporting global energy transitions—particularly as electricity demand in the Global South is forecast to more than double by 2035.