China is emerging as the central force in the global nuclear power expansion, with analysts expecting its lead to widen through 2035 as electricity demand from artificial intelligence, industry and data centers accelerates. The country’s ability to approve and build reactors at a faster pace than many Western economies is increasingly becoming a strategic advantage in a global energy market focused on reliability and lower-carbon power.

China Is Building Nuclear Capacity at an Unmatched Pace

China’s nuclear expansion is already visible in construction data. By 2026, the country had 36 reactors under construction, representing more than 49% of the reactors being built worldwide. Its operating fleet had reached about 60 reactors and 58.7 GW of capacity by May, while the government has set a target of approximately 110 GW of installed nuclear capacity by 2030.

The scale of the pipeline has made China the largest source of new nuclear construction globally. The country has also standardized project design, licensing and construction processes and frequently builds reactors in batches. That approach allows developers to reuse engineering expertise, supply chains and project management systems across multiple sites.

Construction Speed Gives Beijing a Cost and Timing Advantage

One of the clearest differences with the United States is the time required to complete new reactors. Gavekal Technologies analyst Damien Ma has argued that China can build a new nuclear plant in about six years, compared with more than a decade for the latest Vogtle reactors in the U.S. Over the past decade, China added 34 GW of nuclear capacity, while the U.S. brought only one new nuclear plant into operation, Georgia’s Plant Vogtle.

The difference matters because nuclear projects require large amounts of upfront capital and long planning horizons. Faster construction can reduce financing costs, bring electricity generation online sooner and make it easier for utilities to plan around rising power demand. Those factors become increasingly important as governments and companies seek dependable electricity for energy-intensive industries.

AI Is Giving Nuclear Power a New Strategic Role

The rapid expansion of AI is strengthening the case for nuclear energy. Data centers require large and stable electricity supplies, while governments are also seeking to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and improve energy security. The combination is increasing interest in nuclear power in both China and the U.S., but China is entering the next phase with a much larger active construction pipeline.

The International Energy Agency estimates that 78 GW of nuclear capacity was under construction globally in 2026, with roughly half of that capacity located in China. For investors, the implications extend beyond power generation to uranium, reactor technology, engineering, construction equipment and electricity infrastructure. A sustained Chinese nuclear buildout could also strengthen domestic suppliers and deepen the country’s position in advanced nuclear technologies.

Looking ahead, the key variables will be China’s ability to reach its 110 GW target, the pace of additional reactor approvals and the growth of electricity demand from AI and industrial activity. The U.S. and other economies are also attempting to accelerate nuclear development, creating a competitive race around construction efficiency, financing and technology. For global energy markets, the central question is increasingly how quickly other countries can narrow the gap with China as nuclear power moves back toward the center of long-term energy strategy.