The B20 is asking G20 governments to help finance and speed up new nuclear power. Its 2026 Leaders’ Statement, prepared under the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s B20 USA presidency, sets a shared objective of about 950 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2050. The B20 USA Summit opens in Washington on November 9, and nuclear executives are on the energy panels. For utilities, equipment makers, lenders and large power users, the asks touch financing costs, licensing timelines and export rules.
What the B20 is asking for
The nuclear recommendations sit in the energy chapter, drafted by the task force chaired by GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik. The statement says nuclear generation is expected to rise by at least one-third to 2035 and that more than 40 countries include nuclear in their energy strategies.
It asks the G20 to support work through the International Atomic Energy Agency to reduce the financial barriers and construction delays that hold back projects. That covers traditional and advanced reactors, small modular reactors and fusion. The tools named are risk-sharing and financing arrangements.
The statement also asks governments to modernize Nuclear Cooperation Agreements. The aim is to streamline requests to expand cooperation and fast-track market access “within the appropriate security guardrails,” in the statement’s words.
Permitting and workforce
The B20 says nuclear plants and high-voltage power lines generally take the longest to permit of any energy infrastructure. Its energy chapter sets a goal of permitting decisions within one to three years. It asks for standardized permitting that treats technologies equally.
The same chapter seeks a 40% increase in qualified new entrants to the energy workforce by 2030. It also calls for mutual recognition of credentials and a G20 Energy Abundance Working Group to collect workforce data.
The statement places nuclear inside a wider argument about power demand. It says U.S. data center power demand is set to nearly triple by 2030. It also sets a goal of more than $600 billion a year in grid investment by 2030.
What to watch this week
The summit program on November 11 includes two energy panels. “The Energy Imperative” features John Hopkins of NuScale, Vivek Lall of General Atomics Global and Roger Diwan of S&P Global Energy. “Powering Tomorrow” features Jonathan Webb of The Nuclear Company, Toby Rice of EQT and Chad Zamarin of Williams. Strazik speaks on the plenary stage on November 10.
The B20 recommendations go to the G20 leaders, who meet in Miami on December 14 and 15. The statement is advice from business. G20 governments are not bound by it, and the text sets no dollar figure for nuclear finance.
Sources
- B20 USA 2026, Leaders’ Statement (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
- B20 USA Summit agenda and featured speakers (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
- Inside the B20 USA Summit: What to Expect in Washington (U.S. Chamber of Commerce, November 6, 2026)
- Media Logistics for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami, Florida (U.S. Department of State, October 28, 2026)
