Greece moved closer to the nuclear energy era as international organisations and experts highlighted the growing global return to nuclear power, alongside renewed debate over costs, safety and environmental risks.
Last year, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, stressed the rapid resurgence of nuclear energy worldwide. Speaking to Greek media, he said more than 40 countries were seeking extensive use of nuclear power to meet rising electricity demand while addressing energy security and climate concerns.
The momentum strengthened during the summer of 2025 when the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, visited Greece and met with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Grossi said Greece did not currently produce nuclear energy but could consider it in the future. He noted that many European countries were either expanding nuclear power or preparing to build their first reactors.
He also highlighted new technologies, particularly small modular reactors, which allow countries without large nuclear plants to adopt nuclear power through smaller, more flexible installations.
Across Europe, 15 countries already operate nuclear power plants, while others are examining the option. Several countries in the region—including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and Turkey—are already expanding their nuclear programmes.
Small modular reactors reshape the debate
Athanasios Platias, professor emeritus of strategy and president of the Council for International Relations, said Greece had experimented with nuclear technology as early as the 1950s and 1960s when it acquired a research reactor from the United States.
However, political considerations prevented the development of a full nuclear programme and the scientific workforce that had formed around the project eventually dispersed.
Today, nuclear energy remains a controversial subject in Greece, with opinion polls showing a large majority of the public opposed to the idea.
Despite this resistance, Platias argued that the global nuclear revival offered Greece a second opportunity. He said the new generation of small modular reactors could solve many of the safety and cost issues that had historically challenged nuclear power.
He added that the nuclear industry had regained investor confidence, as demonstrated by significant capital flows into the sector and the involvement of major technology companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Oracle and OpenAI.
Energy security and economic benefits
Platias said small modular reactor technology could provide Greece with energy security, green electricity and economic growth while supporting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Unlike renewable sources that depend on weather conditions, nuclear power produces electricity continuously throughout the year with minimal carbon emissions.
A cost-benefit study presented by Pantelis Biskas from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki suggested that introducing small modular reactors could significantly reduce electricity prices for consumers.
According to the study, incorporating nuclear energy into Greece’s power mix could save between €356 million and €1 billion annually by reducing natural gas imports and carbon emission costs.
Natural gas import costs could decline by between 21 and 62 per cent, equal to savings of €222 million to €637 million per year. At the same time, reduced carbon emission expenses could save between €134 million and €344 million annually.
Waste and nuclear risks remain concerns
Despite these potential benefits, critics continue to raise serious concerns about nuclear waste and the consequences of a potential accident.
Athanasios Geranios, professor of nuclear physics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, warned that radioactive waste remains one of the biggest challenges for nuclear energy.
He noted that nuclear waste can remain radioactive for millions of years and that the problem becomes even greater when waste from decommissioned reactors is added.
Geranios estimated that a one-gigawatt reactor produces about 20 tonnes of nuclear waste annually, which requires secure long-term storage.
Regional developments
Regional developments have also intensified the debate. Turkey is completing four nuclear reactors at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, which could produce around 80 tonnes of nuclear waste each year.
Geranios warned that transporting such waste by sea to processing centres poses environmental risks, including the possibility of accidents that could contaminate the Mediterranean Sea or the Ionian Sea.
Discussions have also emerged about cooperation between Greece and Bulgaria to access electricity from the nuclear station at Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, where a new reactor is under construction.
The project’s total cost exceeds €10 billion for a one-gigawatt reactor, while Bulgaria has already invested €250 million in state funding.
A difficult energy decision
Experts say that if Greece moves forward with nuclear energy plans, it will need to balance economic benefits with environmental and safety concerns.
Past nuclear disasters—including Chernobyl disaster and Fukushima nuclear disaster—continue to shape public perception and fuel concerns about the long-term risks of nuclear technology.
As Greece examines its energy future, policymakers face a complex decision: whether nuclear power can provide affordable electricity and energy security while managing the long-term risks associated with radioactive waste and potential accidents.
