As Europe works urgently toward climate neutrality and energy security, European Nuclear Energy 2026 (ENE26) will convene government, policymakers, regulators, utilities, technology innovators, decision-makers, market leaders, multilateral banks, contractors, developers, researchers, investors, and nuclear energy stakeholders to redefine nuclear energy’s value in enabling Europe’s net-zero future.
With nuclear energy excluded from most carbon market mechanisms today, the summit will focus on unlocking carbon credits and innovative financing models to scale up nuclear power – including fission, fusion and FNPPs.
How can carbon credit markets unlock the investment needed to scale nuclear energy for a net-zero Europe?
Held over 2 days, the summit will explore:
How to integrate nuclear into EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and voluntary markets
Designing a carbon credit framework for SMRs and Advanced Reactors
Leveraging World Bank, EIB and IMF climate finance to unlock new financial instruments
Using MRV, blockchain and digital tools to verify avoided emissions
New financial products: green bonds, blended finance, taxonomies and ESG metrics
Accelerate deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies — from SMRs to fusion
Government and Industry Specialists:
Aleisha Duncan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cooperation, US Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy, USA Dr Jessica Lovering, Senior Fellow, Nuclear Innovative Alliance, USA Madi Hilly, Partner, Radiant Energy Group, USA Nobuo Tanaka, Chair, Study Group on Next Generation Nuclear Energy Utilization, Canon Institute of Global Studies; Executive Director Emeritus, The International Agency (IEA), Japan Dr Jooho Whang, Past President & CEO, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd (KHNP), Republic of Korea Dario Marinez, Economist, Nuclear Alternative Project, Puerto Rico Naomi Hirose, Chairman, Japan Energy Association; Former CEO, TEPCO, Japan Cristina Talacko, CEO, GLOW Strategies, Australia Jeff Donovan, Communication Lead, Nuclear Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Keisuke Sadamori, Director, Energy Markets & Security, International Energy Agency
Conference Programme
Day 1, Wednesday, 25th February 2026
Policy, Carbon Markets & Financing Nuclear
8:00
Registration & Networking Coffee
9:00
Chairman’s Opening Address
9:10
Opening Keynote Address Europe’s Net Zero Pathway: Energy Security, Carbon Markets & Nuclear’s Role
9:40
Keynote Address We Know We Need Nuclear: What will It Take to build? Nuclear energy is experiencing a surge of support across the West, and Europe is no exception. The question now is: what comes next? The EU and many of its member states have spent decades dismantling their nuclear industries. Yet, despite these self-imposed setbacks, Europe now stands at the threshold of a potential nuclear renaissance
Madi Hilly, Partner, Radiant Energy Group
10:10
Ministerial Panel Energy Sovereignty & Net Zero: The Nuclear Dimension in Europe
Invited: Ministers from France, Finland, UK, Poland, Estonia
11:00
Morning Coffee & Networking
11:30
Interactive Panel Session Collaboration between Europe and Asia in Advanced Nuclear
Moderator: Nobuo Tanaka,
Chair, Study Group on Next Generation Nuclear Energy Utilization, Canon Institute of Global Studies; Executive Director Emeritus, The International Agency (IEA)
Panelists: Dr Jooho Whang, Past President & CEO, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd (KHNP), Republic of Korea Keisuke Sadamori, Director, Energy Markets & Security, International Energy Agency
EU ETS reform, voluntary carbon markets, Article 6 opportunities
3:30
Networking Afternoon Tea
4:00
Case Study Session
Blended Finance in Action: SMR Deployment Lessons Learned
Financing Microreactors and SMRs in Puerto Rico: Drawing on U.S. and European Models
State-of-the-Art Discussion: U.S. - Based Framework
Government Support: U.S. DOE demonstration funding, DoD direct procurement of micro reactors, and real property rights enabling deployment on federal lands provide strong federal backing.
Private Sector Support: Financing via project sponsors, industrial partners, and vendors using corporate ("on balance sheet") resources, combined with debt financing from municipal utilities, project bonds, and early-stage project finance structures.
Alternative Discussion: EU-Based Framework
Risk-Sharing Mechanisms: European models—state-backed ownership, Contracts for Difference (CfD), and Regulated Asset Base (RAB)—offer predictable revenues and lowercapital costs. Puerto Rico could replicate these benefits through federally backed PPAs, resilience-linked tariffs, and U.S. loan guarantees.
Sustainable Finance & Partnerships: The EU's green taxonomy and multinational nuclearconsortia demonstrate how to mobilize institutional capital. Puerto Rico cansimilarly position SMRs as clean, resilient infrastructure, attracting greenbonds, ESG funds, and vendor partnerships.
Applicability to Puerto Rico
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) or Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) supported by federal guarantees, local utilities, and private developers represent the most viable financing architecture.
SMRs in Puerto Rico can be positioned not only as a clean energy source but also as a resilience solution for critical infrastructure, enhancing energy security and aligning with both U.S. federal incentives and international sustainable finance trends.
Dario Marinez, Economist, Nuclear Alternative Project, Puerto Rico
5:00
Fireside Chat
Beyond Regulation: Stakeholder Engagement and Social License as the Decisive Factors in Nuclear's Future
Nuclear projects rise or fall not only on their technical and regulatory merits, but on the far more fragile terrain of public trust. Across Europe, too many initiatives have underestimated the importance of stakeholder engagement (SE) and communications, treating social license as an afterthought. Yet without legitimacy in the eyes of citizens, communities, and policymakers, even the most promising technologies — from SMRs and fusion pilots to floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) — cannot scale.
This abstract argues for a reset: putting SE and communications at the core of nuclear deployment strategies. We explore novel approaches that go beyond traditional outreach, positioning social license as the indispensable "license to operate."
Social license as investment risk: Why neglecting SE and communications inflates project costs, delays timelines, and erodes investor confidence.
Narrative strategies: Tools to counter misinformation, build transparency, and create durable trust with local communities and stakeholders.
Policy alignment: How governments and multilaterals can integrate social license metrics into nuclear financing frameworks.
Next frontiers: Emerging methods, from data-driven sentiment analysis to participatory engagement platforms, that could reshape how legitimacy is earned.
Expected outcomes for ENE26: A roadmap for embedding SE and communications into nuclear strategy; practical models for building legitimacy alongside regulatory approval; and options for bridging the "trust gap" that currently holds back Europe's nuclear renaissance.
Cristina Talacko, CEO, GLOW Strategies, Australia
Jeff Donovan, Communication Lead, Nuclear Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
5:45
End of Day 1 followed by Networking Evening Reception
Day 2,Thursday, 26th February 2026
Technology, Innovation & Regional Cooperation
8:00
Registration & Networking Coffee
9:00
Chairman’s Opening Address
9:10
How Smart Policy Can Drive the Next Generation of Nuclear Energy
What lessons can be learned from recent new builds for policy-makers
How can government policies be designed to accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear, attract private investment, and drive down costs
Are there new policy frameworks to mitigate risks without burdening taxpayers or ratepayers?
Can smart policy also help to build and sustain genuine public support for nuclear energy?
Dr. Jessica Lovering, Senior Fellow, Nuclear Innovative Alliance, USA
9:40
From Crisis to Confidence : 15 Years After Fukushima – Lessons for Nuclear Finance, Carbon Credits & Safety
15 years have passed since the Fukushima nuclear accident. The impact of the accident was profound, affecting not only Japan but countries around the world. Some nations even halted their nuclear power development programs in response.
Meanwhile, in recent years, the necessity of nuclear power has begun to be recognized anew, driven by measures against global warming, energy security, and the growing electricity demand associated with electrification and AI.
On the 15th anniversary of the accident, we revisit the post-Fukushima situation, the current state of decommissioning, lessons learned from the accident, and the conditions required to regain public trust and secure financing for the renewed promotion of nuclear power.
Naomi Hirose, Chairman, Japan Energy Association; Former CEO, TEPCO, Japan
10:10
Innovation Panel SMRs, Fusion & Floating Nuclear Power Plants: Europe's Next Frontier
10:40
Networking Morning Coffee
11:10
Technology Spotlight Digital MRV Tools: Blockchain, AI & Carbon Credit Verification
Regional Roundtable Nordic, Baltic & Central European Cooperation on Nuclear & Carbon Credits
1:00
Networking Lunch
2:00
Regional Spotlight: Africa & Carbon Credits
Nuclear Power and Carbon Markets in Emerging Economies
Opportunities for nuclear-linked carbon credit frameworks in Africa
How carbon markets can enable new nuclear builds in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Egypt
Case study: leveraging international climate finance and Article 6 for African nuclear projects
Designing a Nuclear-Specific Carbon Credit Framework
Financing First-of-a-Kind Projects: Lessons from Infrastructure
3:30
Networking Afternoon Tea
4:00
The ENE26 Declaration: Carbon Credits, Finance & Innovation for Europe's Net Zero Future
5:00
Closing Keynote & Next Summit Announcement
Optional Post Summit Technical Site Visit – Friday, 27th February 2026 (max 20 participants)
Details Soon
Panel of Industry Specialists:
Aleisha Duncan Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cooperation, US Department of Energy's Office of
Nuclear Energy, USA
Aleshia Duncan serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cooperation in the Office of Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy.
She has worked in various capacities in the international nuclear energy policy arena both domestically and abroad. Domestically, she has served a foreign affairs specialist at the U.S. Department of Energy, supporting the Office of Nuclear Energy, managing bilateral and multilateral relationships on several continents.
Ms. Duncan has also completed two overseas posts. In 2016, she joined the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in France, as the policy adviser to the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC), where she coordinated the policies and programs of its 65 member countries and four international organizations with the common goal of the safe, reliable use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. She continued in that role in 2017 in addition to serving as the director general's senior advisor for multilateral coordination and secretary of the NEA Steering Committee until her departure at the end of 2018.
From October 2010 to December 2013, Ms. Duncan was posted at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan as the director for nuclear operations and served as a diplomat in the capacity of energy attaché. Ms. Duncan had the opportunity to liaise with the government of Japan regularly before, during and after its change in nuclear policies and was awarded the Secretary's Honor Award for her efforts in supporting the coordination of the United States crisis response.
Ms. Duncan also has an extensive background in human resources in the areas of employee and labor relations, performance management, employee discipline and contract negotiation and administration.
Ms. Duncan holds a bachelor of arts in international relations from Pennsylvania State University and a master of arts in community counseling from Trinity University in Washington, DC.
Dr. Jessica Lovering Senior Fellow, Nuclear Innovation Alliance
Dr. Jessica Lovering is a Senior Fellow with the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, a "think-and-do" tank based in Washington D.C. that performs policy analysis, research, outreach, and education to catalyze the next era of nuclear energy. She is also a postdoctoral researcher with Uppsala University, looking at the future of nuclear power in Sweden. In 2020, she completed her PhD at Carnegie Mellon University in Engineering & Public Policy. Her dissertation focused on how commercial nuclear trade affects international security standards and how very small nuclear reactors could be deployed at the community level. She is a fellow with the Energy for Growth Hub, exploring how advanced nuclear can be deployed in sub-Saharan Africa.
Madison Hilly
Partner, Radiant Energy Group, USA
Madison has spent nearly a decade educating the public, policymakers, and journalists around the world on nuclear energy, and now advises clients on energy issues as a partner at Radiant Energy Group. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, and the Chicago Tribune. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin and lives in Chicago with her husband and two daughters.
Nobuo Tanaka
Chair, Study Group on Next Generation Nuclear Energy Utilization, Canon Institute of Global Studies;
Executive Director Emeritus, The International Agency (IEA), Japan
Nobuo Tanaka is former Chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. He is the chairman of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF). He is Distinguished Fellow at Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) and Visiting Professor at Graduate School of Public Policy of the University of Tokyo. As Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) from 2007 to 2011, he initiated a collective release of oil stocks in June 2011. He also played a crucial and personal role in strengthening of ties with major non-Member energy players, including China and India.
He began his career in 1973 in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) after graduating the University of Tokyo, and has served in a number of high-ranking positions, including DirectorGeneral of the Multilateral Trade System Department. He was deeply engaged in bilateral trade issues with the US as Minister for Industry, Trade and Energy at the Embassy of Japan, Washington DC. He served twice as Director for Science, Technology and Industry (DSTI) of the Paris-based international organization, OECD.
Dr Jooho Whang Past President & CEO, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd (KHNP), Republic of Korea
Dr. Jooho Whang recently completed his term as President and CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP), the largest power generation company in Korea, which operates 26 nuclear power units as well as numerous hydro and pumped-storage plants, producing approximately 180 TWh of electricity annually.
During his tenure, KHNP achieved the highest ranking in Korea's public-enterprise performance evaluation for consecutive years. He successfully completed two large-scale APR-1400 nuclear power units and initiated construction of two additional units. He also advanced small modular reactor (SMR) development, establishing cooperative frameworks with domestic and international developers and local governments for future SMR deployment.
Prior to his appointment as CEO, Dr. Whang served as a professor of nuclear engineering for 30 years, during which he chaired both the Korean Energy Engineering Society and the Korean Nuclear Society. As President of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), he promoted research on renewable-energy technologies, carbon capture, and ammonia utilization, and developed a carbon-neutral regional-energy model. This model later provided the conceptual foundation for KHNP's SMR Smart Net Zero City (SSNC) initiative—an urban-development concept integrating SMRs with renewable energy and hydrogen production—which was prominently presented at COP28.
Dr. Whang earned his B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Seoul National University and his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States.
Dario A. Martinez
Economist & Market Research Analyst, ACI Worldwide
Dario Martinez is an economist (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina) with an MSc in Energy Management (New York Institute of Technology) working at the intersection of financial services and energy technology. He leads global market intelligence at ACI Worldwide, a $1.5B payments software company, where he drives strategy and commercial growth for ACI Worldwide's clients, including major banks and merchants across more than 80 industries, with U.S. energy utilities as one key vertical. Dario also contributes to The Nuclear Alternative Project, analyzing the energy markets of Puerto Rico and the U.S. and assessing investment scenarios for advanced technologies, with a focus on nuclear. His perspective combines two decades of experience across fintech, energy markets, government agencies (environmental regulation, budgeting, and project finance), and commercial diplomacy through bilateral chambers of commerce.
Naomi Hirose Chairman, Japan Energy Association; Former CEO, TEPCO, Japan Naomi Hirose is the former President and CEO of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), where he served for over 40 years before he left in 2021. He currently serves as Chair of the Japan Energy Association and Vice Chair of the World Energy Council since 2022.
Hirose joined TEPCO in 1976 and held various management positions from 1992 to 2005, including roles in corporate planning, sales, marketing and customer relations.
Following the 2011 Fukushima Accident, he played a crucial role in establishing and implementing the nuclear damage compensation system. As CEO from 2012, Hirose led TEPCO through a series of complex challenges, including the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi, managing accident compensation, spearheading the revitalization of Fukushima and keeping TEPCO competitive in the deregulated Japan's electric market.
Mr. Hirose holds a B.A. in Sociology from Hitotsubashi University (1976) and an MBA from Yale School of Management (1983).
Cristina Talacko CEO, GLOW Strategies, Australia
Cristina Talacko is an international energy and climate policy leader with experience spanning entrepreneurship, diplomacy, and clean-technology advocacy. As CEO of the Coalition for Conservation, she has advanced bipartisan policy solutions in Australia while engaging with governments, multilaterals, and innovators worldwide. She has led delegations to and spoken at the UN Climate COPs, the OECD, and the IAEA, and was awarded the Order of Rio Branco by the Brazilian government for her contributions to international relations. Cristina speaks Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, French, and English, and focuses on accelerating pathways for clean energy finance and adoption across Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.
Jeff Donovan Communication Lead, Nuclear Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mr Jeffrey Donovan is a former international journalist who has been with the Vienna-based IAEA for nearly a decade. Since 2019, Mr Donovan has led communications and outreach for the IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy. His work for the Agency has taken him around the world on a variety of missions, including the last four UN Climate Change Conferences. A frequent moderator of IAEA events on nuclear energy, Mr Donovan began his journalism career in Italy and enjoyed stints with Reuters, The New Yorker magazine and Bloomberg News.
A native of California, Mr Donovan holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master of Arts in Global Diplomacy from the SOAS University of London. In addition to English, Mr Donovan is fluent in Italian, Spanish and Czech.
Keisuke Sadamori
Director, Energy Markets & Security, International Energy Agency
Keisuke Sadamori became the IEA Director for Energy Markets and Security in 2012, leading an administrative structure that includes several core functions of the IEA, including monitoring global oil markets and responding to energy-supply disruptions
Prior to joining the IEA, Mr Sadamori, a Japanese national, held many senior positions at the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), including Deputy Director-General at the Minister's Secretariat.
Mr Sadamori served as the executive assistant to the Prime Minister in 2011, when the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan, causing the Fukushima nuclear plant accident. Before this, he worked on international energy affairs and was the representative of the Government of Japan in such forums as the IEA Governing Board in 2008 and 2009. He also served as the chief negotiator for trade and investment agreements with Asian countries in 2009 and 2010.
Mr Sadamori received an LL.B. from University of Tokyo in 1983 and a Masters in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University in 1990.
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