Nuclear is ‘coming back stronger’: International Energy Agency chief

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Thursday that nuclear energy is "coming back stronger" and climate change and concerns about energy security played a role in its resurgence.

"The main driver for pushing the nuclear forefront was the energy security after 24th of February two years ago," Fatih Birol said at a nuclear energy summit that is being hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Belgium in Brussels.

Everybody understood after the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine that to generate electricity at home is very important for national security, he said.

"So many countries changed their policies accordingly, and push renewables and nuclear electricity in order to enhance the energy securities," said Birol.

"If you want to reach Net Zero, without having any nuclear, it is impossible," noted Birol.

The summit is bringing together more than 300 CEOs, entrepreneurs, scientists and civil society figures, alongside 37 political leaders near the Atomium landmark modernist structure.

It is the very first nuclear energy summit and the highest-level meeting to date, exclusively focused on nuclear energy.