Episode description

China currently has 53 nuclear power plants with plans to scale up significantly in the next decade, while India is planning to build 10 new power plants over the next three years. South Korea’s new government has committed to restarting its civil nuclear programme and even Japan’s prime minister has pledged to resume nuclear power in a country that has long been resistant.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, energy security has now become more of a priority with countries looking for alternatives to Russian gas. And as countries transition to renewable power in an effort to reach net zero by 2050, governments are looking for a stable, green power supply which is lower cost. In the latest IPCC report, all pathways recommended nuclear in some form to mitigate against climate change.

After nuclear disasters such as Fukushima in Japan, safety has become an even more pressing issue, both in the region and globally, in the face of a resistant public and to safeguard communities around any power plants. We gained access to the Hinkley Point power plant in the UK which has adapted the design of the reactors to make them safer after what happened in Japan; but the pace of building has been slow and costs have been high. In China, a commitment to build more has led to a coordinated approach in terms of training, the supply chain and funding. But there are challenges ahead.

Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar are joined by Changhua Wu, a policy analyst specialising in China's environment, energy, climate change and sustainable development; Diane Cameron, head of the Nuclear Technology Development and Economics Division at the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency; Edwin Lyman, expert on nuclear safety and proliferation; and Director of Nuclear Power Safety at the Union of Concerned scientists in Washington.

Producers: Serena Tarling and Alex Murray Researcher: Immy Rhodes Series Producer: Alex Lewis Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith