[C WORLD] Will the Presidential Candidates’ ‘Energy Illusion’ Finally End?

[CEONEWS =Reporter Jaehoon Lee] In the summer of 2025, the sun will finally outshine nuclear power. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) and BloombergNEF, global solar power generation is expected to surpass nuclear power for the first time in history. This is more than a numerical shift—it marks the symbolic end of the nuclear era that powered the 20th century and heralds the arrival of a solar-powered 21st century. Yet amid this monumental transition, South Korea’s presidential candidates remain stuck in outdated 20th-century energy paradigms. CEONEWS analyzes how their energy policies stack up against global trends and explores survival strategies for the nuclear industry.

This summer, solar power is projected to temporarily exceed nuclear generation globally. The installed capacity of solar energy has grown explosively—from approximately 187 GW in 2014 to 1,866 GW in 2024—and continues to surge annually by 25–34%. This dramatic growth is expected to accelerate the global shift to renewables, highlighting the need to secure grid stability and expand battery storage systems. Several countries are already reducing their reliance on nuclear and ramping up their clean energy shares.

■ The World Turns to the Sun, But Korea Clings to Nuclear

As of 2024, the world’s cumulative installed solar capacity stands at 1,866 GW—more than ten times the 2014 figure. The cost of solar power has also plummeted, now hovering around $40 per MWh, significantly undercutting nuclear’s $160–200 per MWh. Despite this, South Korea continues to champion nuclear expansion. One presidential candidate claims, “We must become a nuclear export powerhouse through a nuclear renaissance,” while another dismisses solar, stating it “lacks competitiveness without subsidies.”

The issue is that such rhetoric is completely detached from the reality of 2025. Today’s energy competitiveness lies not in technology alone, but in speed and distribution. A solar plant can be built in just six months; nuclear plants take at least ten years from groundbreaking to commercial operation. In an age of soaring electricity demand driven by EVs, data centers, and AI server farms, a “10-year solution” is far too slow.

■ Does the Nuclear Industry Have a Survival Strategy?

Is South Korea’s nuclear industry collapsing? Not quite. The real question is: What comes next? According to CEONEWS investigations, the domestic nuclear sector is now pivoting toward strategies centered on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and overseas O&M (operations and maintenance) contracts. However, government policy still focuses heavily on building new nuclear plants—an approach trapped in the past and failing to modernize the technology.

A greater concern lies in human resources. The number of nuclear engineering students has halved over the past decade, and new hires are flocking to smaller subcontractors. This isn’t just a sign of industrial decline—it reflects a lack of strategic vision. While other countries are racing to secure talent in solar, battery, wind, and AI-powered energy platforms, South Korea remains fixated on reviving nuclear energy.

■ Why Are Presidential Candidates Stuck in a Nuclear vs. Anti-Nuclear Binary?

In the current presidential race, energy policy is being reduced to a simple dichotomy: pro-nuclear vs. anti-nuclear. But the essence of the global energy transition is a mixed strategy. Solar, wind, ESS (energy storage systems), grid infrastructure—and nuclear power, only when necessary. In other words, the ideal model is “renewables at the core + nuclear as backup.”

An energy expert interviewed by CEONEWS explained, “Nuclear should no longer be seen as an industry, but as a public good—a backup system.” In short, nuclear is no longer the main energy source, but the last line of defense. Yet the political sphere still treats nuclear power as an industry to be cultivated, which could lead to a costly national illusion involving tens of trillions of won.

■ On the Day the Sun Surpasses Nuclear—Where Will Korea Stand?

In the summer of 2025, humanity will witness a historic moment: the power of the sun overtaking the output of nuclear energy. While the world embraces this change as a new growth opportunity, South Korea remains trapped in outdated beliefs and political narratives surrounding nuclear energy.

To the presidential candidates: In this era of energy transformation, are you ready to choose the sun—or are you still chasing the ghosts of the past century? It is time to move beyond the binary of nuclear pros and cons, and instead ask: Which energy source can reach the future faster?

Today, the issue is not about technology—but speed. And that speed begins the moment the sun overtakes nuclear power.