A Visual Capitalist chart published March 2, 2026, ranks countries by nuclear reactors under construction, using World Nuclear Association data as of September 2025. The United States appears at the bottom of the list with zero reactors and zero gigawatts under construction, alongside Canada and France.

China leads by a wide margin with 37 reactors totaling about 42.9 gigawatts, more than all other listed countries combined. Russia follows with 6 reactors and about 4.2 gigawatts. Egypt and Turkiye each have 4 reactors under construction at about 4.8 gigawatts each. South Korea has 3 reactors and about 4.2 gigawatts. The United Kingdom has 2 reactors at about 3.4 gigawatts, and Japan has 2 reactors at about 2.8 gigawatts.

The chart shows a snapshot of large-reactor construction counts. Since the data date, US developers have advanced projects in other categories. TerraPower started construction of its Natrium plant in Wyoming, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction permit for the Tennessee Valley Authority's Clinch River BWRX-300 small modular reactor on October 2. Those projects follow a different count than the chart's September 2025 cutoff.

The article ties new construction worldwide to rising electricity demand and the retirement of older plants. It adds that most reactors are licensed for about 40 years and that many are extended to 60 or 80 years with upgrades.

The United States operates the largest reactor fleet in the world, while the construction ranking shows where new large units are being added. The comparison places the US fleet's size alongside the pace of new builds elsewhere.

Source: Visual Capitalist - https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-countries-building-the-most-nuclear-reactors/