China is rapidly expanding its nuclear energy sector and is on pace to overtake both the United States and the European Union in installed nuclear power capacity by 2030, according to a new report from MIT Technology Review.
The report highlights a widening divide between China’s strategy of building large-scale nuclear reactors and Western efforts focused increasingly on smaller, experimental designs.
China has nearly doubled its nuclear fleet since 2016, reaching almost 60 gigawatts of generating capacity.
Construction began on six new nuclear reactors in 2025, with two more projects launched during the first five months of 2026.
Most of the new facilities are gigawatt-scale pressurized-water reactors designed to deliver large amounts of electricity directly to the grid.
The pace of construction has been particularly striking.
MIT Technology Review reports that new Chinese reactors are typically completed in five to seven years, compared with a global average of roughly nine years.
By contrast, the two newest U.S. reactors, Units 3 and 4 at Georgia’s Plant Vogtle, required approximately 15 years to complete.
China’s advantage stems largely from standardization and scale.
The country employs a uniform system for reactor design, licensing, and construction, often building reactors in batches of six or more.
Combined with substantial government investment, the approach has helped reduce costs and accelerate deployment.
The expansion comes as nations confront soaring electricity demand fueled by artificial intelligence, data centers, and electrification.
Industry analysts increasingly view abundant, low-cost electricity as a critical competitive advantage in the AI race.
Major technology companies have already begun investing in advanced nuclear projects, hoping to secure reliable power supplies for energy-hungry data centers.
Concerns have grown in both the United States and Europe that electricity infrastructure may struggle to keep pace with projected demand from AI applications, cloud computing, and advanced manufacturing.
While China is building large reactors at scale, the United States and parts of Europe are placing their bets on small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors.
Supporters argue that smaller reactors can be manufactured in factories, require less upfront capital, and potentially avoid the cost overruns that have plagued traditional nuclear projects.
The U.S. Department of Energy launched a pilot initiative aimed at demonstrating advanced reactor technologies, setting a goal for three test reactors to achieve criticality by July 4, 2026.
Last week, California-based Antares reached a key milestone when its Mark-0 reactor achieved criticality, becoming one of the first projects to meet the program’s target.
Criticality marks the point at which a reactor sustains a controlled nuclear chain reaction.
However, the Mark-0 remains a test platform and is not yet capable of generating electricity.
The company expects to begin producing power in 2027 and deploy commercial systems by 2028.
China is also exploring smaller reactor technologies, including the Linglong-1 small modular reactor, which is expected to begin supplying electricity this year.
Yet the country continues to prioritize large reactors because they generally produce electricity at a lower cost per unit of power.
As global demand for electricity accelerates, MIT Technology Review concludes that China’s emphasis on large-scale nuclear deployment may give it a significant advantage in delivering the affordable, carbon-free energy needed to power the next generation of artificial intelligence and economic growth.