The growing support for nuclear power is compared to the rapid sentiment shift on gay marriage, driven by younger generations. As older activists, whose opposition was rooted in Cold War-era fears of nuclear weapons, fade away, a new generation sees nuclear energy as a key climate solution, creating a much more favorable political environment.

The massive energy consumption of AI has made tech giants the most powerful force advocating for new power sources. Their commercial pressure is finally overcoming decades of regulatory inertia around nuclear energy, driving rapid development and deployment of new reactor technologies to meet their insatiable demand.

Nuclear power is experiencing a revival due to rare bipartisan agreement. Republicans champion it for national security and reindustrialization, while Democrats support it for clean energy goals. This convergence of different motivations has created a durable political coalition, making it a stable area for long-term investment and development.

Public perception of nuclear power is skewed by highly visible but rare disasters. A data-driven risk analysis reveals it is one of the safest energy sources. Fossil fuels, through constant air pollution, cause millions of deaths annually, making them orders of magnitude more dangerous.

The massive energy requirements for AI data centers are causing electricity prices to rise, creating public resentment. To counter this, governments are increasingly investing in nuclear power as a clean, stable energy source, viewing it as critical infrastructure to win the global AI race without alienating consumers.

Despite nuclear power's poor public image based on fission, significant advances in fusion technology are positioning it as a potential solution for clean, abundant energy. We may look back on 2026 as the year this shift became viable.

Perception of nuclear power is sharply divided by age. Those who remember the Three Mile Island accident are fearful, while younger generations, facing the climate crisis, see it as a clean solution. As this younger cohort gains power, a return to nuclear energy becomes increasingly likely.

Drawing parallels to the 1970s oil shocks which spurred nuclear power and fuel efficiency, the IEA head predicts the current crisis will not only boost renewables but also drive a strong comeback for nuclear and, counterintuitively, a resurgence of coal in Asia due to high gas prices.

The Japanese public's growing acceptance of restarting nuclear power is influenced less by domestic safety improvements and more by external pressures. The palpable reality of climate change and the economic vulnerability exposed by volatile global energy markets are making nuclear power seem like a necessary, if still risky, option.