The Future of Nuclear in an Data- and Electricity-Hungry World

Nuclear Energy Workshop “The Future of Nuclear in a Data- and Electricity-Hungry World”

Electricity demand worldwide surges due to economic development and the spread of data centers, electric vehicles, and heat pumps. This surge has sparked new interest in building new nuclear reactors, extending the lifetimes of existing ones, and even reactivating shut-down nuclear power plants. At the same time, several advanced reactor designs—Gen‑IV reactors—are being put into practice, varying by fuel and cooling method. With increasing shares of renewables in total electricity generation, the usefulness of nuclear power as a classic baseload technology is now in question. Globally, most reactors under construction are in Asia (especially China), and many existing reactors have had their licenses extended well beyond the initial 40‑year lifespan.

Workshop Agenda

09:00 – 09:15	Welcome and Coffee
09:15	Welcome and Opening Remarks (Prof. Reinhard Madlener, Prof. Asgeir Tomasgard, Workshop organizers)
09:20	Session 1: The Role of Different Nuclear Technologies Chair: Reinhard Madlener 20 min OL Keynote 1: Prof. Andy Sterling, SPRU – “Nuclear Infrastructures and Sustainability Transformations: The Big Picture” +5 min Q&A 20 min OL Keynote 2: Prof. Stephen Thomas, Greenwich Univ – “Is there a Future for Advanced Large and/or Small Modular Reactors?” +5 min Q&A 20 min PR Keynote 3: Dr. Jennifer Uhle, Nuclear Energy Institute, U.S. "Advanced Reactor Regulatory Flexibility” +5 min Q&A 10 min PR Intervention 1: Andreas Bye, IFE – “Are new nuclear plants safer than the old ones? Are there new safety challenges?”
10:45 – 11:15	Discussion on Session 1
11:15 – 11:45	Coffee Break
11:45	Session 2: Interplay between Nuclear and Renewables Power Production Chair: Asgeir Tomasgard 20 min OL Keynote 1: Dr. Evangelos Panos, PSI – “Multiple Perspectives on the Role of Nuclear in Energy Scenarios” +5 min Q&A 10 min PR Intervention 1: Ole Reistad, DNV – "The Role of Nuclear in Decarbonization of International Shipping" 10 min PR Intervention 2: Magnus Korpås, NTNU – "How can nuclear fit into a decarbonized system?"
12:30 – 13:00	Discussion Session 2
13:00 – 14:00	Lunch Break
14:00	Session 3: Nuclear Supply Chains, Financing and Business Models Chair: tbc 20 min OL Keynote 1: Ryo Yamasaki, IEA/STO/OCEE/EIU – “The Path to a New Era for Nuclear Energy” +5 min Q&A 20 min OL Keynote 2: Alexander Wimmers, TU Berlin – “Nuclear Industry Capabilities and Related Capacity Expansion Feasibility” +5 min Q&A 10 min OL Intervention 1: Dr. Dave Cole, EdF UK/Sizewell C – “The Role of Nuclear in the Electricity System and some Insights from Sizewell C” 10 min PR Intervention 2: Levi Larsen – “Unlocking the Potential of Nuclear Energy: Impacts of Cost Reduction Strategies and Govt Intervention” 10 min OL Intervention 3: Prof. Jens Weibezahn, CBS – “Fission for Funds: The Financing of Nuclear Power Plants” (tbc)
15:30 – 16:00	Discussion Session 3, Summary & Conclusion
16:00	End of Workshop (OL: Online, PR: Present)