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Solar power generated more electricity than nuclear globally for the first time in 2025, according to the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2026. The report also says solar or wind individually exceeded nuclear output in every month from March 2025 through June 2026, while nuclear generation grew by 1.1% for the year.
Global solar power generation exceeded nuclear generation for the first time in 2025, according to the World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) 2026. The report says solar output rose 30% during the year, while nuclear generation increased 1.1%, marking a shift in the annual comparison of two major electricity sources.
The report, overseen by French nuclear energy consultant Mycle Schneider, says wind power first surpassed nuclear generation on a monthly basis in March 2025, followed by solar in April. From March 2025 through June 2026, at least one of the two renewable sources generated more electricity than nuclear in every month. In March, April and May 2026, both solar and wind individually exceeded nuclear output.
WNISR estimates that solar capacity grew by 510 gigawatts in 2025 to 2,383 GW, a 27% annual increase. Wind capacity rose by a record 159 GW to 1,291 GW, up 14%. Installed nuclear capacity increased by 1.5 GW to 399.5 GW, while operating capacity declined by 0.5 GW to 368.6 GW. A separate, more recent estimate from IEA PVPS puts 2025 solar additions at about 690 GW, roughly 180 GW above the WNISR figure.
Nuclear plants generated 2,703 terawatt-hours in 2025, up 1.1% year on year, the report says. China drove much of that increase: its nuclear output rose 7.6%, while generation outside China fell 0.2%. Nuclear supplied 8.8% of global electricity, its lowest share in four and a half decades, according to WNISR.
Solar’s Growing Lead in Generation
The annual crossover reflects sharply different recent growth rates: solar generation rose 30% in 2025 while nuclear output rose 1.1%, according to WNISR. The result changes the global comparison between the two sources, though the figures describe electricity produced during a year, not their capacity to supply power at every hour.
Rapid solar and wind growth also brings a grid challenge. Their output varies with weather and time of day, and the report points to batteries as one tool for managing that variability. It records 104 GW of grid-scale battery power capacity and 257 GWh of storage energy connected in 2025; more than 78% of cumulative battery storage capacity was installed between 2023 and 2025.
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A Long Plateau for Nuclear Capacity
WNISR describes global nuclear capacity as essentially flat for more than 25 years, while solar and wind expanded rapidly. Its figures show a contrast between new construction and the number of reactors supplying electricity: four reactors began operating in 2025 and seven closed, producing the first negative annual reactor balance since 2021.
The construction pipeline has grown even as projects face delays. As of July 1, 2026, 73 reactors were under construction, the highest number since 1987, with 37 in China. The report says none of the 16 reactors connected to the grid from 2023 to 2025 finished on schedule; their average construction period was 10.9 years. It also notes that only four of 13 reactors expected to begin generation in 2025 did so.
Solar capacity estimates vary by source. WNISR uses what it calls relatively conservative figures for photovoltaic additions, while IEA PVPS puts 2025 additions about 180 GW higher. These are capacity estimates; the report’s claim that solar surpassed nuclear in annual generation is a separate comparison based on electricity output.
“The reality of the nuclear industry on the ground is quite sobering for those who expected to find a booming sector.”
— Mycle Schneider, WNISR lead, speaking to pv magazine
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Capacity Estimates and Grid Effects
The precise scale of solar capacity additions depends on which estimate is used: WNISR reports 510 GW for 2025, while IEA PVPS puts additions at about 690 GW. The source material does not provide a reconciled explanation for the difference. It also does not quantify how much battery storage contributed to the generation crossover or how the monthly comparison may change after June 2026.
The annual generation milestone does not establish that solar can replace nuclear output in every hour or region. The supplied report summary does not give a detailed hourly or country-by-country comparison of solar and nuclear production, nor a forecast for future generation shares.
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Monthly Comparisons After June
The next point to watch is whether solar and wind continue to exceed nuclear output in monthly comparisons after June 2026. Future reporting will also show whether solar additions remain near the higher IEA PVPS estimate and whether grid-scale batteries keep expanding alongside renewable generation.
For nuclear power, the report identifies reactors under construction, project schedules and the concentration of new activity in China and Russia as indicators to follow. The supplied material gives no specific date for the next WNISR update or a forecast for when the annual generation gap will widen or narrow.
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Key Questions
When did solar first exceed nuclear generation?
Solar first exceeded nuclear on a monthly basis in April 2025, according to WNISR 2026. The report says solar then surpassed nuclear for the full year in 2025.
Did wind also surpass nuclear power?
Yes. WNISR says wind surpassed nuclear generation in March 2025 on a monthly basis. From March 2025 through June 2026, either solar or wind individually generated more electricity than nuclear each month.
How much did nuclear generation grow in 2025?
Nuclear plants generated 2,703 TWh, an increase of 1.1% year on year, according to the report. China’s output rose 7.6%, while nuclear generation outside China declined by 0.2%.
Why do solar capacity estimates differ?
WNISR reports 510 GW of solar capacity additions in 2025, while IEA PVPS puts additions at about 690 GW. The supplied source material does not explain the full methodological difference between those estimates.
Source: hn
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