Mapping Research Trends in Nuclear Energy Financing for Sustainable Economic Growth (2020-2025): A Bibliometric Analysis

The global push toward Net Zero Emissions has renewed attention to nuclear energy as a low-carbon and reliable power source capable of supporting long-term energy security and sustainable economic growth. However, nuclear energy projects remain highly capital-intensive and financially complex, making financing structures, investment risk, and economic feasibility critical determinants of deployment. Despite a growing body of literature on nuclear technology, safety, and policy, research specifically addressing the financial dimension of nuclear energy has not been systematically mapped. This study therefore examines research trends in nuclear energy financing published between 2020 and 2025 through a bibliometric approach. Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Scopus database using a structured search strategy focused on financing, investment, capital cost, and levelized cost of electricity in relation to nuclear energy. After the application of inclusion criteria, 654 journal articles were retained for analysis. The dataset was cleaned using OpenRefine and analyzed using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer to identify publication trends, keyword co-occurrence patterns, Investment and financing linkage, and the temporal evolution of the field. The findings indicate that techno-economic assessment remains the dominant foundation of the literature, particularly through discussions of capital cost, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), and feasibility analysis. At the same time, recent scholarship increasingly connects nuclear energy with investment structures, policy support, low-carbon transition, and sustainable development discourse. These findings suggest a gradual shift from a narrow cost-centered framing toward a broader financing and investment-oriented perspectives. This study provides a structured overview of the evolving research landscape and highlights the growing importance of financial governance and investment strategies in positioning nuclear energy within sustainable economic growth pathways.