NAIROBI, Kenya – The global energy shock, triggered by the Iran war, is being exploited by international institutions and foreign powers to lock nations in Asia and Africa into long-term nuclear energy commitments. This push comes despite the inherent risks of radioactive waste and continued reliance on imported fuels, binding future generations to foreign-supplied systems. While existing nuclear nations increase output, non-nuclear countries are accelerating plans to build atomic energy infrastructure, a process that can take decades.
The Iran war’s global energy shock, which first impacted Asia and then Africa, is cited as the primary driver for these accelerated nuclear plans. Disruptions to shipping routes carrying Middle Eastern oil and natural gas have led to soaring energy prices and power shortages, particularly in Africa, creating public calls for solutions. Joshua Kurlantzick of the Council on Foreign Relations stated that long-term commitments to nuclear power made now will likely embed it into countries’ future energy mixes.
Elite-Driven Dependency
This push is framed by Rachel Bronson of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists as an acceleration of a global “nuclear renaissance,” as countries seek an alternative to fossil fuel market volatility. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, notes that 31 countries currently use nuclear power, providing approximately 10% of global electricity, with another 40 nations considering or preparing to build plants. Rwandan President Paul Kagame, speaking at an IAEA summit, declared Africa will be “one of the most important global markets” for smaller reactors in the coming years, signaling a continent-wide shift towards this foreign-driven energy model.
Nuclear nations, including the U.S., Russia, China, France, and South Korea, are actively pitching advanced technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs) to African countries. These modular reactors are presented as a cheaper, more compact, and faster alternative to large-scale plants, though proponents admit projects can still take years. Kenya, for instance, plans to bring a small modular reactor online in 2034, having started the first phase in 2009, now in its 17th year of development. Justus Wabuyabo of Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Agency stated last month that “nuclear energy is no longer a distant aspiration for African countries; it is a strategic necessity.”
In Asia, the Iran war is pushing South Korea to increase nuclear power generation and Taiwan to consider restarting mothballed reactors. Japan, under Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, has signed a $40 billion reactor deal with the U.S., a nuclear fuel recycling agreement with France, and promised Indonesia nuclear cooperation since the war began. Japan restarted the world’s largest nuclear plant, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa site, in January. Russia’s state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom is building Bangladesh’s new reactors and Egypt’s first reactor, holding cooperation agreements with Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Tanzania, and Niger. Vietnam signed a deal with Moscow in March this year for two Russian-designed reactors. The Philippines, facing a national energy emergency, is also considering reviving a nuclear plant built after the 1973 oil crisis. The U.S. and South Korea co-sponsored a nuclear conference in Nairobi last month, with Ryan Taugher of the U.S. State Department confirming Washington is working with African nations to develop civil nuclear reactors. Ghana, which aims to begin building a nuclear plant in 2027, is in the market for foreign suppliers.
The Cost to Nations
Despite the promises of energy security, nuclear power creates potentially dangerous radioactive waste, a long-term burden on the land and its people. Ayumi Fukakusa of Friends of the Earth Japan warned that “nuclear is very risky” and will maintain countries' reliance on imported fuels, such as enriched uranium, rather than fostering true energy independence. Bronson of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists also highlighted the vulnerability of nuclear plants during conflicts, citing recent instances where reactors were targeted during the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine War, adding another layer of risk to national infrastructure. This comes 15th year since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown.
Developing atomic energy can take decades, especially for nations new to the technology, making it an unsuitable “quick fix” for current energy crises. Michiyo Miyamoto of the U.S.-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis argued that renewables, such as solar and wind, offer more sense for energy affordability and security. Rex Amancio of the Global Renewables Alliance similarly advised governments to focus on building out renewables for long-term energy security, given the years required to develop nuclear sectors. These warnings underscore the long-term financial and environmental liabilities being imposed on nations by these globalist-driven nuclear expansion plans.