A look back at the Club H2 Sud event, organised in partnership with the Southern France Hydrogen Delegation – 19 May 2026
Long regarded as two distinct revolutions, nuclear power and artificial intelligence are now beginning to converge.
On the one hand, the spectacular rise of AI is transforming global energy needs. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity consumption by data centres could more than double by 2030, driven by the development of artificial intelligence models. To meet this demand, the tech giants are reinvesting heavily in nuclear power: Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Meta have all announced partnerships or investments in nuclear capacity, representing nearly 10 GW dedicated to powering their AI infrastructure.
On the other hand, artificial intelligence is becoming a driving force for transformation within the nuclear sector. Predictive maintenance, computer-aided design, operational optimisation, document processing, equipment qualification, cyber security and the streamlining of regulatory procedures: applications are multiplying and ushering in a new phase of modernisation for the industry.
Against this backdrop, the Capenergies Nuclear Club brought together nearly 70 industry representatives, researchers and experts to explore the opportunities offered by AI to enhance the performance, safety and competitiveness of the nuclear sector.
A revolution that begins with data
The success of an artificial intelligence project depends, above all, on the quality of the data it uses.
At the start of the meeting, Cédric Gouy-Pailler, from the CEA, outlined the essential prerequisites for implementing AI projects in the nuclear sector: data governance, the quality of reference frameworks, digital sovereignty, cybersecurity and the protection of sensitive information.
In an industry where safety standards are among the highest in the world, data management is a prerequisite for the development of reliable artificial intelligence applications.
Proactive rather than reactive: AI in maintenance
One of the most well-established applications today is predictive maintenance.
Through a case study presented by Jean-Baptiste Léger, from’iQanto - SNEF Group, participants learnt how artificial intelligence tools can be used to analyse data from equipment in order to detect anomalies at an earlier stage, anticipate failures and optimise maintenance operations.
An approach that helps to improve the availability of facilities and to plan maintenance work more effectively.
The CEA also illustrated these prospects through the work presented by Javier Gil-Quijano, which focused on the application of predictive AI to the maintenance of fourth-generation nuclear reactors – which are still at the development stage – demonstrating the potential of these technologies to support future generations of facilities.
Reinventing the management of major industrial projects
The benefits of artificial intelligence go far beyond operational considerations alone.
Jean-Daniel Delaplagne, from’ITER Organisation, presented several applications of AI in the management of large, complex industrial projects.
Planning, document analysis, risk management, stakeholder coordination and deadline monitoring: these are all areas in which AI can serve as a valuable decision-making tool for projects characterised by a high degree of organisational and documentary complexity.
Design faster, design better
Generative artificial intelligence also opens up new possibilities during the design phases.
In their presentation, Bérenger Fister and Nicolas Bureau, from’Assystem, have demonstrated how these new tools can speed up certain engineering tasks, improve the quality of documentation and make design processes more reliable.
This development is part of a wider trend observed internationally. In 2026, Microsoft and NVIDIA announced a partnership aimed at developing AI solutions designed to simplify the design of nuclear power stations and speed up regulatory processes. In the United States, the Department of Energy is also trialling the use of AI to automate the preparation of safety dossiers for regulatory authorities.
AI for design and qualification
Finally, Emmanuel Ren, from’Orano, discussed the uses of artificial intelligence in supporting equipment design and qualification activities.
The aim is not to replace human expertise, but to provide engineers with tools capable of processing vast amounts of information, speeding up analyses and making technical decisions more robust.
A new milestone for the nuclear industry
Beyond the technological demonstrations, this latest edition of the Nuclear Club highlighted a fundamental shift: artificial intelligence is gradually establishing itself as a key factor in competitiveness across the entire nuclear sector.
Against a backdrop of a global resurgence in nuclear power – with more than 60 reactors currently under construction and more than 40 countries considering developing or expanding their nuclear programmes – capabilities in innovation, data management and the integration of AI will constitute major strategic advantages.
By bringing together manufacturers, research centres, major clients and innovative companies, Capenergies helps to foster collaboration, share lessons learnt and support the transformations that will shape the nuclear industry of the future.
Thank you to all the speakers and the 70 participants for the high-quality discussions that enriched this latest edition of the Nuclear Club.
The next meeting on nuclear power will take place on 26 November 2026, focusing on the project OPPEN – Professional Development Programme for Companies in the Nuclear Sector
- Presentation of the project’s progress,
- Sharing the findings of research carried out on changing needs and regional challenges relating to skills requirements in the nuclear sector,
- Promoting collaboration and exchanges between industry, academia and institutions …
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