Europe Eyes Nuclear Power as Hormuz Crisis Exposes Energy Vulnerability
CNBC reported Monday that nuclear energy could offer European nations a pathway out of their deepening import crisis, though analysts warn the road ahead is anything but straightforward.
Hormuz Closure Forces Europe to Rethink Energy Strategy
The effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, triggered by the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, has laid bare how exposed Europe remains to external energy shocks. Oil and gas still account for more than a third of the continent’s total energy mix, according to Eurostat data from 2025. Nuclear, by contrast, represents just 11.8% of the overall supply. Analysts now argue that figure must rise significantly. Chris Seiple, vice chairman of power and renewables at Wood Mackenzie, told CNBC that nuclear has to play a central role in resolving the continent’s energy predicament.
Also Read: What the Strait of Hormuz Closure Means for Global Oil Markets
France Sets the Standard, but Others Have Lagged
France stands as the clearest example of what a nuclear-committed strategy can deliver. More than 60% of the country’s electricity comes from atomic plants, and Michael Browne, global investment strategist at Franklin Templeton, told CNBC that French power prices remain meaningfully lower than those in Germany as a direct result. Germany, which spent years decommissioning reactors on ideological grounds, now faces the steeper climb. Adnan Shihab-Eldin, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, told CNBC that prioritising ideology over practicality was a fundamental mistake made by Germany and several of its neighbours. Even South Korea’s climate minister acknowledged the war is prompting a pivot away from oil, with nuclear and renewables set to anchor future supply.
A Decades-Long Build Problem
The appeal of nuclear energy runs headlong into one stubborn reality: reactors take an extraordinarily long time to build. The U.K.’s Hinkley Point C broke ground in 2016 and remains incomplete, with completion expected only toward the end of this decade. France’s Flamanville 3 spent 17 years in construction before finally opening in 2024. Chris Aylett, a research fellow at Chatham House, cautioned that the energy landscape could look entirely different by the time any plant commissioned today reaches operation. Renewable projects, he noted, come online considerably faster. Seiple suggested that cheaper construction methods, potentially involving Chinese technology, could accelerate timelines, though he acknowledged that political and security concerns make meaningful collaboration with Beijing highly unlikely.
Also Read: IEA Chief Calls for Energy Resilience Push Amid Supply Shock
Costs Remain the Defining Obstacle
High upfront capital requirements, waste disposal challenges, and lingering public unease following historic accidents have suppressed European nuclear ambition for decades. Analysts concede that without a cheaper, faster build model, nuclear expansion will remain aspirational for most nations outside France.
