Europe is undergoing a profound energy transformation. Climate goals, energy market instability, geopolitical risks, and rising electricity demand have once again brought nuclear energy into focus. After years of skepticism and political divisions, nuclear energy is increasingly being viewed today as a stable, low-carbon pillar of the European energy system.

Nuclear Energy Today: A European Overview

More than 160 nuclear reactors are currently operating in Europe, making it one of the world’s most significant nuclear regions. Within the European Union alone, nuclear energy produces around one quarter of total electricity generation, while 12–13 member states operate active nuclear power plants.

The structure is highly concentrated: France is the absolute leader, relying on nuclear energy as the backbone of its national power system, while countries such as Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, and Belgium are maintaining or strengthening their nuclear capacities. At the same time, some countries, such as Germany, have chosen to phase out nuclear energy, although even in these countries debates are increasingly taking place about the long-term consequences of such decisions.

New Trends: Lifetime Extensions and New Technologies

The key shift in European nuclear policy is not the mass construction of new power plants, but the extension of the operating lifetimes of existing ones. Most European reactors were originally designed for 40 years of operation, but through modernization and strict safety reviews their lifetimes are being extended to 50 or even 60 years. This is considered the fastest and most cost-effective way to preserve stable, CO₂-free electricity generation.

At the same time, Europe is experiencing a limited but strategically important wave of new reactor construction, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. More than ten nuclear reactors are currently under construction, clearly indicating that nuclear energy remains a long-term option.

Special attention is being given to small modular reactors (SMRs). They are presented as a more flexible, potentially cheaper, and more easily integrated technology, suitable not only for electricity generation but also for industrial heat, district heating, and large infrastructure systems. Although still in the development and testing phase, European institutions and industry view them as an important part of the energy mix in the coming decades.

Safety and Geopolitics

The war in Ukraine has strongly influenced perceptions of nuclear energy in Europe. Nuclear power plants have proven to be strategic assets whose safety depends not only on technology itself, but also on the stability of power grids, the political environment, and international cooperation. This context has further strengthened the argument that Europe must have reliable, domestic sources of baseload energy that are not dependent on fossil fuel imports.

The Western Balkans Region and Nuclear Energy

For decades, the Western Balkans lay outside the nuclear map, but this situation is gradually changing. The most significant step has been taken by Serbia, which, by lifting a legal ban, has opened the possibility of considering nuclear energy as a long-term option.

It is important to emphasize that Serbia is not currently in a phase of constructing a nuclear power plant, but rather in a phase of strategic assessment, including:

• building a regulatory and institutional framework,

• education and training of expert personnel,

• analysis of potential technologies and financing models, and

• assessment of social and environmental acceptability.

This approach is consistent with the practice of other European countries that entered nuclear projects gradually over many years. Realistically, any decision on the possible construction of a nuclear power plant in Serbia, if it were to occur, would be a long-term process with a horizon of one to two decades.

For the region as a whole, nuclear energy is increasingly being viewed in a regional context—through joint projects, participation in existing capacities in neighboring countries, or through the future development of smaller, modular solutions.

Conclusion

Nuclear energy is returning in Europe as a pillar of energy stability rather than an ideological issue. With more than 160 active reactors, extended operation of existing capacities, and the development of new technologies, Europe clearly demonstrates that a reliable energy transition is not possible without nuclear power.

For the Western Balkans region, and especially for Serbia, nuclear energy represents a strategic issue for the future. Although the initial steps are still institutional and analytical, the very fact that the nuclear option is being seriously considered indicates a shift in paradigm—from short-term solutions toward long-term planning for energy security, stability, and sustainable development.

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