Nuclear energy is going through a period of intense changes and expectations, Driven both by the search for clean and sustainable alternatives and by countries' different strategies to ensure their energy security. In recent years, the sector has seen everything from major investments in experimental fusion and fission reactors to the rise of new smart technologies for the control and analysis of nuclear processes.
Spain, China, the United Kingdom and other world powers each one bets in its own way on this type of energy, Whether as a central pillar of their electrical systems or as a driving force for research and development, the disparity in approaches highlights both the economic, technological, and social opportunities and challenges facing nuclear energy in the 21st century.
China and the challenge of hybrid fusion-fission reactors
China is making progress in implementing projects that aim to revolutionize nuclear energy globally. On the scientific island of Yaohu, near Nanchang, China has begun initial work on the Xinghuo-1 hybrid fusion-fission reactor. Behind this ambitious plan lies an investment of more than 200.000 billion yuan, with the goal of building a plant capable of reaching 100 megawatts of electricity and 300 megawatts of thermal power, and, above all, a plasma energy gain index (Q) greater than 30, a figure that would represent an unprecedented milestone in the sector.
The Q factor is key in the nuclear race: While projects such as the National Ignition Facility in the United States have reached a Q of 1,5, and the gigantic ITER (under construction in France) aims for Q>10, Chinese engineers aim to surpass this threshold and open the door to commercial profitability of fusion before 2035.
The uniqueness of Xinghuo-1 lies in its hybrid approach: use the neutrons generated in fusion to trigger additional fission reactions, thus taking advantage of the best of both worlds. This strategy allows to multiply the energy production while perfecting the techniques and supply chain of the Chinese nuclear industry.
China's approach contrasts with the path followed in the West, where political priorities and concerns about nuclear proliferation led to hybrid reactor research being shelved in favor of so-called "pure fusion." For the Asian giant, This path could be the key to connecting fusion energy to the power grid in less than a decade, thus advancing the commercial arrival of this energy source.
Nuclear research and development in Spain: the CIEMAT case
Spain stands out at the European level for its drive towards nuclear fusion, although the country continues to move forward with a plan to close its fission nuclear power plants before 2035. The Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT) is the leading national representative and actively participates in the EUROfusion consortium and in international projects such as ITER.
The experimental reactor TJ-II in Madrid, a heliac stellaratorCIEMAT is the leading Spanish platform for researching plasma behavior and the physical mechanisms of fusion. Since its launch in 1998, it has enabled significant advances in the configuration of magnetic fields and the understanding of energy transport under extreme conditions. Yolanda Benito, Director General of CIEMAT, emphasized the importance of maintaining scientific vision and international cooperation as drivers for fusion to become a commercial reality in the coming decades.
Collaboration between the public sector and large technology companies has also led to a pioneering approach to using generative artificial intelligence to process and analyze the vast amount of data collected in plasma experiments.
Artificial intelligence as a key ally in fusion research
The volume and complexity of experimental data in fusion reactors is enormous, This poses significant challenges for traditional scientific analysis. To address this challenge, CIEMAT, together with companies such as IBM and national firms, has developed generative AI systems—such as the Watsonx platform—capable of automating and accelerating data analysis, identifying hidden patterns, and offering real-time recommendations.
Augusto Pereira, project manager at CIEMAT, explains that these types of tools allow for the generation not only of automatic reports and virtual assistants for researchers, but also synthetic signals and images that help formulate new scientific hypotheses. All of this It multiplies the efficiency of experiments and facilitates faster progress toward commercial nuclear fusion.
These technological advances, in addition, It is expected that they will be exported to other major European laboratories, such as ITER in France, and lay the groundwork for future autonomous control systems in commercial reactors. The convergence of artificial intelligence and quantum computing could pave the way for new ways of managing nuclear energy, increasing safety and reducing analysis and reaction times.
Economic controversies and challenges of the traditional nuclear sector
While fusion research offers long-term hope, Conventional fission-based nuclear power faces criticism related to costs and schedules. Recent studies show increasing costs and routine delays in the construction of new plants. For example, according to the consulting firm Lazard, the average cost of a solar plant in the US is around $875 per kW, compared to more than $10.000 per kW for nuclear power, a difference reflected in the competition with renewable energy.
In the United Kingdom and the United States, financing models for new power plants often involve transferring risks and costs to consumers and taxpayers, with no guarantee of success for all projects. Furthermore, small modular reactors, presented as an alternative, still lack a proven track record and struggle to achieve economies of scale.
Security remains another of the major debates: The pressure to expedite permits and authorizations can lead to regulatory shortcuts, And some designs have yet to meet all the requirements for crash protection. All of this generates skepticism among some in the public and certain scientific circles.
Innovation and new opportunities for the Spanish nuclear industry
The Spanish nuclear R&D&I ecosystem continues to generate opportunities and advances., both in industrial and research applications. Platforms such as CEIDEN bring together more than a hundred public and private entities, coordinating national and international programs and promoting projects in areas such as advanced materials, next-generation nuclear fuels, and reactor simulation.
In the industrial sector, companies like the ENUSA Group have experienced a surge in activity thanks to the interest of large technology corporations and data centers that demand abundant, uninterrupted energy. The development of modular reactors (SMRs) and emerging technologies appears to strengthen the sector's position as a strategic component of the transition to a Net Zero economy.
Recent figures from the Spanish sector reflect this growth: in 2024 alone, the Juzbado plant produced more than 227 tons of nuclear fuel, with more than 60% destined for export to European countries, and managed more than 450.000 cubic meters of industrial water.
Constant modernization, the training of new professionals, and international collaboration will be key if Spain wants to remain a leader in nuclear energy research and its industrial applications.
The current situation of nuclear energy reflects a crossroads. Investment in fusion technologies and intelligent data analysis, with projects in China and Spain, mark a promising path. At the same time, traditional fission continues to face economic and social challenges. The transition to fusion and new industrial applications will be decisive in the coming years, with artificial intelligence as an essential tool for advancing knowledge and safety in the management of this energy that could move the stars.
