Nuclear Power Reactor Decommissioning Market Report 2026

The nuclear power reactor decommissioning market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $8.01 billion in 2025 to $8.98 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to aging nuclear reactor infrastructure, completion of initial reactor service lifecycles, early adoption of manual decommissioning methods, growing volume of radioactive waste, development of regulatory decommissioning frameworks.

The nuclear power reactor decommissioning market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $14.03 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing deployment of automated dismantling technologies, rising investments in nuclear waste processing, expansion of reactor shutdown schedules, growing focus on site reuse and redevelopment, increasing adoption of digital decommissioning planning tools. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing use of robotics in decommissioning activities, rising demand for waste management and site remediation services, growing adoption of remote handling technologies, expansion of end-of-life reactor programs, enhanced focus on regulatory compliance and safety.

The rising adoption of renewable energy sources is expected to drive growth in the nuclear power reactor decommissioning market. Renewable energy sources are natural resources that can be replenished over time, making them a sustainable and environmentally responsible way to generate power. These energy sources can support the decommissioning of nuclear reactors by supplying clean electricity to operate critical equipment, improving safety and reducing the environmental impact of decommissioning activities. For example, in March 2025, RenewableUK, a UK-based trade association, reported that renewable energy generated a record 50.8% of the UK’s electricity in 2024 - the first time renewables surpassed the 50% mark and a notable increase from the previous record of 46.4% in 2023. Therefore, the growing use of renewable sources is contributing to the expansion of the nuclear power reactor decommissioning market.

Companies in the nuclear power reactor decommissioning industry are increasingly focusing on establishing new nuclear facilities to strengthen their competitive position. Nuclear facilities are modern infrastructures developed for generating nuclear power. For instance, in April 2023, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an Austria-based intergovernmental organization, reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had launched its first nuclear power station, the Barakah nuclear power plant, which is expected to eventually supply up to 25% of the nation’s electricity. This plant, the first of its kind in both the UAE and the broader Arab region, forms part of the country’s strategy to diversify its energy mix and lower carbon emissions. The Barakah plant consists of four reactors with a total capacity of 5,600 MW, equivalent to about one-quarter of the UAE’s peak electricity demand.

In April 2025, NorthStar Group Services Inc., a U.S.-based company specializing in environmental services and nuclear decommissioning, acquired the Vallecitos Nuclear Center from GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, NorthStar intends to expand its capabilities in nuclear decontamination, decommissioning, and environmental site restoration by taking ownership of the former research and power reactor site and completing its restoration. Hitachi GE Vernova Nuclear Energy Ltd. is a U.S.-based provider of comprehensive nuclear reactor decommissioning services.

Major companies operating in the nuclear power reactor decommissioning market are Babcock International Group PLC, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy LLC, Fluor Corporation, Westinghouse Electric Company, AECOM Technology Corporation, NorthStar Group Services Inc., Studsvik AB, Bechtel Group Inc., James Fisher and Sons PLC, Orano Group, WS Atkins PLC, Enercon Services Inc., SNC Lavalin Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd., Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Incorporated, Nuvia Group Ltd., Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., NAC International Inc., Nukem Technologies GmbH, Holtec International Inc., EnergySolutions LLC, Deep Isolation Inc., Waste Control Specialists LLC, Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos S. A., Ansaldo Nucleare S. p. A, Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, Sellafield Ltd., GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH, Sogin S. p. A.

Europe was the largest region in the nuclear power reactor decommissioning market in 2025. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the nuclear power reactor decommissioning market share during the forecast period. The regions covered in the nuclear power reactor decommissioning market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the nuclear power reactor decommissioning market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The nuclear power reactor decommissioning market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as SAFSTOR (Safe storage), DECON (Decontamination), and ENTOM. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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