On June 13, 2025, the European Commission published its latest Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC 2025), setting out a renewed and ambitious vision for the role of nuclear energy in achieving Europe’s climate neutrality, industrial competitiveness, and energy security.

As part of the Clean Industrial Deal and the Action Plan for Affordable Energy, the new PINC underlines the importance of nuclear energy in decarbonising the EU energy system alongside renewables. It provides quantitative and qualitative analysis of investment needs across the full nuclear lifecycle: from lifetime extensions and new large-scale builds to the deployment of Small and Advanced Modular Reactors (SMRs and AMRs) and fusion technologies.

Key Highlights of PINC 2025:

  • Growing Nuclear Capacity: EU nuclear capacity may reach up to 144 GWe by 2050, depending on timely investments and lifetime extensions. A base case scenario projects 109 GWe, requiring €241 billion in investment.
  • SMRs & Innovation: The European SMR Industrial Alliance is targeting commercial SMR deployment in the early 2030s, with up to 53 GWe potential by 2050.
  • Supply Chain & Skills: Calls for urgent action to reinforce the EU’s fuel cycle supply chain, diversify away from Russian dependencies, and address looming skills shortages, with up to 250,000 new professionals needed by 2050.
  • System Integration: Nuclear’s role extends beyond electricity, supplying low-carbon heat, producing medical radioisotopes, and providing flexibility for grid stability.
  • Safety & Regulation: Reaffirmation of highest safety standards, transparent public engagement, and potential for a regulatory coalition to streamline licensing across Member States.
  • Fusion Outlook: A dedicated EU Fusion Strategy will support ITER and accelerate commercialization through public-private partnerships and strategic investments.

PINC 2025 makes clear that the future of nuclear in Europe will rely on strategic cooperation, innovation, and stable investment frameworks. It provides a roadmap not only for infrastructure development but also for regulatory, industrial, and workforce planning.

For the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP), this renewed commitment from the European Commission reinforces the central role of innovation, collaboration and industry-readiness in driving a resilient, sovereign and decarbonised European energy future.

Read the full PINC 2025: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:eb08805d-4c55-4f30-8763-256588625136