Nuclear power is back in the energy conversation, but the discussion often begins with reactors rather than the fuel they will eventually need. Electricity demand is also rising in new ways. The International Energy Agency reported that data-centre electricity use grew 17% in 2025, while consumption at AI-focused data centres rose even faster. Its latest outlook still sees total data-centre electricity demand roughly doubling by 2030.
That matters because nuclear expansion creates a parallel question about uranium supply. The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and International Atomic Energy Agency reported in September 2026 that 418 commercial reactors operating at the start of 2025 required about 64,500 tonnes of uranium annually. Global mine production reached 61,924 tonnes in 2024, its highest level since 2016, but still below annual reactor requirements.
