Afternoon parallel session 1: Financing nuclear new build
Sep 17, 2026 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PMCC1
Sep 17, 2026 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
CC1
Description
The world of nuclear energy financing is changing, and changing quickly, with new players entering the market: from the tech sector to private equity and venture capital. All large-scale infrastructure projects carry cost and construction risk, but nuclear energy projects offer a well-established record of return on investment once commissioned. Governments and the private sector are now exploring innovative financing structures to unlock new sources of capital. Governments can play a decisive role in enabling private sector lenders to finance nuclear power projects, particularly given their high upfront capital costs, long construction timelines, and policy sensitivity. Support typically focuses on reducing specific risks that private lenders cannot readily absorb on their own. Mechanisms such as loan guarantees, regulated asset base (RAB) models, contracts for difference (CfDs) and power purchase agreements can help mitigate these risks. Pension funds, insurers and private equity could then provide the stable, patient capital required to move projects toward final investment decisions. This session offers an opportunity to hear which models they believe work best and the scale of government support required during construction.