- OUTLOOK
Oversight agencies suddenly face pressure to rapidly assess a range of relatively untested reactor designs.
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- Peter Fairley0
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Peter Fairley
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Peter Fairley is a science and environmental journalist based in Victoria, British Columbia.
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Illustration: Janelle Barone
Over the past decade or so, the once- sleepy nuclear sector has become a hive of activity. Venture capital drove innovative reactor designs promising lower risk. The need for low-carbon energy eroded environmental opposition. Electrification and artificial intelligence boosted energy demand, and the geopolitical weaponization of energy put a premium on domestic generation. As a result, nuclear regulators suddenly face pressure to rapidly assess an unprecedented number and variety of projects.
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Nature 656, S9-S11 (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-02509-1
This article is part of Nature Outlook: Nuclear power, a supplement produced with financial support from Oklo Inc.. Nature maintains full independence in all editorial decisions related to the content. About this content.
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