The World Nuclear Association is the international organization that promotes nuclear energy and supports the many companies that comprise the global nuclear industry. 

WNA arose on the foundations of the Uranium Institute, established in London in 1975 as a forum on the market for nuclear fuel. In 2001, spurred by the expanding prospects for nuclear power, the UI changed its name and mandated itself to build a wider membership and a greater diversity of activities. The goal was to develop a truly global organization geared to perform a full range of international roles to support the nuclear industry in fulfilling its enormous growth potential in the 21st Century.

Since WNA’s creation in 2001, the effort to build and diversify has born fruit. WNA membership has expanded three-fold to encompass (i) virtually all world uranium mining, conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication; (ii) all reactor vendors; (iii) major nuclear engineering, construction, and waste management companies; and (iv) nearly 90% of world nuclear generation. Other WNA members provide international services in nuclear transport, law, insurance, brokerage, industry analysis and finance. 

WNA will remain a work in progress. Its rapid growth reflects recognized value and represents major advance in building toward universal industry membership. Today WNA serves its membership, and the world nuclear industry as a whole, through actions to:

• Provide a global forum for sharing knowledge and insight on evolving industry developments 
• Strengthen industry operational capabilities by advancing best-practice internationally 
• Speak authoritatively for the nuclear industry in key international forums 
• Improve the international policy and public environment in which the industry operates

An overarching WNA purpose is to foster interaction among top industry leaders to help shape the future of nuclear power. Led by senior industry executives, the WNA Board sets priorities, budgets and fees to support a diversity of WNA activities, including more than a dozen industry Working Groups, which are staffed by a small London-based secretariat. All WNA activities focus on objectives outside the scope of national associations, intergovernmental organizations and the industry’s reactor safety organization, WANO. WNA roles thus complete the mosaic of nuclear industry support.