Nuclear expansion too late, too costly, warns energy expert Shankar Sharma

By A Representative 

As momentum appears to be building globally for nuclear energy, an Indian energy expert has issued a cautionary statement, warning that new nuclear power projects are not only outdated but also economically and strategically unviable—especially in the context of the climate crisis.

Referring to a recent article in The Guardian titled “Tide is turning in Europe and beyond in favour of nuclear power” (June 1, 2025), Shankar Sharma, a Karnataka-based power and climate policy analyst, pointed to what he describes as the “relentless push” by nuclear energy advocates to repackage an obsolete technology with fresh marketing. However, Sharma argues, compelling counter-evidence from around the world undermines their claims.

In particular, he cited another Guardian piece, “New nuclear would be too late and too costly” (June 5, 2025), which outlines the reasons why nuclear energy is increasingly seen as a dead end in the global energy transition. “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made it clear that renewables are now 10 times more efficient than new nuclear at mitigating CO₂ emissions,” Sharma emphasized. “In 2024, 92.5% of all new power capacity added globally came from renewables. New nuclear was virtually absent.”

Sharma underscored that the nuclear industry continues to rely on reactor models developed decades ago. “Large reactors being promoted today are essentially the same designs that were being pitched 25 years ago. No fundamentally new models have emerged in this century. And the so-called small modular reactors remain on the drawing board, with all forecasts for their deployment being highly speculative,” he said.

Apart from efficiency and cost, Sharma pointed to the unresolved issues of nuclear waste management, proliferation risks, and the contentious siting of plants, which continue to be major roadblocks for nuclear expansion.

“It should not be difficult to endorse these hard facts, based on numerous independent reports published in recent months,” Sharma said, urging Indian policymakers to take a more informed and transparent approach in the country’s energy planning.

“The critical question is whether our policymakers in India can be seen as rational and honest enough to take into account all such relevant factors in their decision-making process,” Sharma said.

With India continuing to entertain new nuclear ventures as part of its energy portfolio, Sharma’s statement poses a direct challenge to the government's long-term strategy, raising questions about whether the country is investing in a technology of the past while the rest of the world accelerates toward a renewable future.