IAEA Hosts Nuclear Energy Financing Capacity-Building Workshop

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently held a capacity-building workshop on nuclear energy for international financial institutions at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, attended by approximately 50 senior experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank Group (WBG), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Approximately 50 senior experts from the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the OPEC Fund, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the African Development Bank attended the IAEA's nuclear energy capacity-building workshop for international financial institutions. (Photo: J. Frischknecht/IAEA)

As more countries consider introducing or expanding nuclear power, financing nuclear power projects is becoming a critical factor in project implementation. The IAEA stated that it will continue to support countries in developing nuclear power in a safe, secure, and sustainable manner, while strengthening cooperation with international financial institutions in this process.

The three-day workshop covered topics including the fundamentals of nuclear energy development, characteristics of nuclear power projects, technology options, energy system planning, as well as safety, security, safeguards, regulatory capacity-building, and full lifecycle management of nuclear facilities. Participating institutions noted that a systematic understanding of the technical and governance requirements of nuclear projects helps financial institutions more accurately assess the opportunities and challenges associated with such projects.

The IAEA and the World Bank Group formally established a partnership on nuclear energy development in June 2025. Subsequently, following the approval of the Asian Development Bank's energy policy review, the IAEA also established a similar partnership with the ADB. These collaborations are seen as an important step toward enhancing the understanding among multilateral development banks and private investors of the role of nuclear energy in energy security and sustainable development.

Priyantha Wijayatunga, Deputy Director General of the Asian Development Bank's Transport and Energy Sector, stated that as more countries turn to nuclear energy to meet growing energy demand and advance decarbonization, cooperation with the IAEA is essential to ensuring that nuclear projects are safe, reliable, and well-governed. He noted that the ADB's internal Nuclear Energy Steering Committee and working groups will apply the insights gained from this workshop to their future work.

Andrew Craig, Senior Sector Specialist at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, said the workshop helped deepen the Bank's understanding of growing nuclear energy demand, the technology landscape, and the IAEA's role in energy sector planning. Anne Falchi, Senior Sector Specialist at the World Bank Group, also noted that the IAEA's standards, guidance, and country support on nuclear safety, nuclear security, safeguards, regulatory capacity, and lifecycle issues provide an important foundation for nuclear energy cooperation.

Thione Mtalimanja, Chief Energy Sector Specialist at the African Development Bank, stated that such capacity-building helps financial institutions more fully consider nuclear energy options in member countries' long-term energy planning. Salim Abbado, Senior Energy Specialist at the OPEC Fund, believed that the workshop provided an opportunity for development finance institutions to exchange views and helped them build a more complete knowledge base when assessing the diverse energy needs of partner countries.

Olivia Audi, Deputy Director of the Nuclear Safety Department at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, said the workshop not only offered a learning opportunity but also established a platform for international financial institutions entering the nuclear energy investment field to exchange ideas. Participating representatives also expressed their desire to continue capacity-building, technical exchanges, and other forms of cooperation with the IAEA, and to explore concrete mechanisms for future collaboration.