[en] In May 2016, the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) held a conference in cooperation with the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) on 'Nuclear Energy's Role in the 21. Century: Addressing the Challenge of Financing'. This conference brought together over 150 stakeholders from more than 30 countries, including government representatives and members of the nuclear and finance communities, as well as experts from the NEA and the OECD. Conference participants discussed the primary challenges faced by the markets, including how to secure financing for new nuclear projects, as well as approaches and solutions to such challenges. Through multiple expert presentations, moderated sessions and scenario discussions, participants acquired a better understanding of the unique challenges, approaches and techniques involved in financing new nuclear power plants. Throughout the conference, experts set the stage to understand why financing new NPPs is so difficult and complex. The following are the key challenges identified through discussions: - unstable electricity prices in a liberalized market; - electricity market designs that do not provide investment signals for low-carbon technologies; - insufficient carbon pricing to promote nuclear investments; - explicit governmental support for renewables; - uncertain and changing political support; - poor social and political perception of safety; - historical new nuclear project budget and schedule overruns; - long-term nature of capital investments. Final recommendations for consideration Conclusions were reached through discussions and debate on how to best address the aforementioned challenges. Although not all of these challenges can be resolved, there are methods to address the risks involved and to build the confidence necessary for investment. The key recommendations from the conference for financing new NPPs include: - conduct electricity market reform to level the playing field across all energy sources; - demonstrate an ability to construct nuclear projects to time and budget; - remove taxes and penalties explicitly placed on nuclear; - establish strong governmental support for nuclear energy; - harmonize regulatory requirements internationally; - employ effective program management mechanisms; - communicate clearly and early with all stakeholders; - demonstrate a strong nuclear safety culture; - choose proven technologies for deployment; - leverage contracting mechanisms to ensure a long-term revenue stream; - employ vendors and operators with positive nuclear experience. Through implementation of these recommendations and others, new nuclear projects may effectively identify appropriate financing mechanisms