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Solar generation exceeded nuclear power’s annual global output for the first time in 2025, according to the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2026. The report says solar generation rose 30%, while nuclear output grew 1.1%; it also records monthly solar generation above nuclear from April 2025 through June 2026, with wind also outproducing nuclear in many months.
The report, overseen by French nuclear energy consultant **Mycle Schneider**, says the crossover also appeared in monthly figures: wind generation exceeded nuclear in March 2025, followed by solar in April. From **March 2025 through June 2026**, either solar or wind individually produced more electricity than nuclear each month. In March, April and May 2026, both did so independently.
Capacity additions show the different growth rates. WNISR estimates that solar capacity rose by **510 gigawatts (GW)** in 2025 to 2,383 GW, a 27% annual increase. Wind added a record 159 GW, bringing capacity to 1,291 GW. Installed nuclear capacity increased by 1.5 GW to 399.5 GW, while operating nuclear capacity fell by 0.5 GW to 368.6 GW, according to the report.
The solar capacity estimate is conservative, the report notes. Figures from IEA PVPS put global photovoltaic additions at about **690 GW in 2025**, around 180 GW above WNISR’s estimate. The differing figures mean the precise size of the capacity gap depends on the dataset, but both point to rapid solar growth.
Renewables’ Growing Lead in Output
The result marks a change in the balance of global electricity generation, though it does not mean nuclear power has disappeared or that solar alone can supply electricity at every hour. Solar and wind production varies with weather and time of day; the annual comparison measures total electricity generated, not firm capacity or the ability to meet demand continuously.
WNISR reports that nuclear produced **2,703 terawatt-hours (TWh)** in 2025, up 1.1% from the previous year. Growth was led by China, where nuclear generation increased 7.6%. Outside China, output declined 0.2% and remained below its 2006 level. Nuclear’s share of global electricity fell to **8.8%**, its lowest in 45 years, compared with a peak of 17.5% in 1996.
The pace of renewable expansion has implications for grid planning and investment. The report points to falling battery costs as one factor that could support further solar deployment as grids manage variable generation and periods of low or negative prices. It records **104 GW and 257 gigawatt-hours** of grid-scale battery storage connected in 2025; more than 78% of cumulative battery storage capacity was installed from 2023 to 2025.
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How the Generation Gap Emerged
The crossover comes amid a long difference in construction and growth rates. WNISR says nuclear capacity has been essentially flat for more than 25 years, while solar and wind expanded rapidly. Four reactors began supplying electricity in 2025 and seven shut down, producing the first negative annual balance of reactor starts and closures since 2021.
As of July 1, 2026, the report counted **411 operating reactors in 31 countries**, excluding 30 units in long-term outage. It also listed 73 reactors under construction, the highest total since 1987, with 37 in China. Nine out of 10 units being built were in Asia or Eastern Europe, and Russian technology was involved in 29 projects worldwide.
Construction duration remains a constraint cited by the report. None of the 16 reactors connected to the grid between 2023 and 2025 finished on schedule; their average construction period was 10.9 years. Of 13 reactors scheduled to start generating in 2025, four did so. Construction starts nevertheless reached 12 in 2025, including nine in China, two in Russia and one in South Korea.
“The reality of the nuclear industry on the ground is quite sobering for those who expected to find a booming sector.”
— Mycle Schneider, WNISR overseer, speaking to pv magazine
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Limits of the Annual Comparison
The report establishes an annual generation crossover for 2025, but the supplied material does not provide a detailed month-by-month generation table or explain all methods used to calculate the global totals. The monthly pattern is reported through June 2026; figures beyond that point are not included here.
Capacity estimates also vary. WNISR uses a solar addition estimate of 510 GW for 2025, while IEA PVPS data cited in the report put additions near 690 GW. These are capacity figures, not electricity-generation totals, and should not be treated as interchangeable. The supplied material does not give a separate revised generation comparison based on the higher capacity estimate.
The result compares total annual electricity output. It does not by itself establish which technologies are cheaper across all markets, how much storage or transmission is needed, or how generation will develop in later years. WNISR also discusses nuclear project delays and small modular reactor development, but the supplied report summary does not provide enough detail to assess the commercial prospects of individual SMR projects.
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Generation Trends to Watch
The next useful comparison will be whether solar and wind maintain their monthly lead in later 2026 data and how the annual generation totals change as new capacity enters service. Battery additions and grid integration will also shape how much variable renewable generation can be used, although the report’s figures alone do not establish the effects on reliability or prices.
For nuclear power, the report’s construction pipeline offers one indicator to track: 73 reactors were under construction as of July 1, 2026. Whether those projects enter service on schedule, and whether operating output grows beyond the modest 2025 increase, remains uncertain. Further generation data and updates to capacity estimates will clarify how durable the crossover is.
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Key Questions
Did solar overtake nuclear in annual global electricity generation?
Yes. WNISR 2026 says solar generated more electricity than nuclear globally in 2025, the first annual crossover reported in the source material.
How much did solar and nuclear generation grow in 2025?
The report says global solar generation increased by 30%, while nuclear generation rose 1.1%. Nuclear output increased mainly because generation in China grew 7.6%; outside China, it declined 0.2%.
Did solar exceed nuclear every month in 2025?
No. The report says wind surpassed nuclear monthly in March 2025, and solar did so in April 2025. From March 2025 through June 2026, either solar or wind individually generated more than nuclear each month.
Does this mean nuclear power is no longer growing?
No. Nuclear generation rose 1.1% globally in 2025, and reactors remain under construction. The report says installed nuclear capacity increased by 1.5 GW, although operating capacity declined by 0.5 GW.
Why do solar capacity estimates differ?
WNISR estimates 510 GW of solar capacity additions in 2025. The report cites IEA PVPS data indicating additions of about 690 GW. The figures come from different estimates and refer to installed capacity, not the amount of electricity generated.
Source: hn
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