Currently, 440 nuclear power plants are in operation globally, with 59 under construction and 110 more planned. However, before reaching this point, 213 plants were closed, 92 projects were scrapped, and 27 were built but never put online. Each of these plants—whether completed or abandoned—represents a pinnacle of human engineering, standing far beyond the horizon of the modern built environment. Each remote location attracts at least 5,000 to 10,000 people—planners, builders, and maintainers—who uproot their lives, relocating in the hope of advancing both humanity and their own futures. Yet, the risk of project failure hovers around 25%, a daunting gamble these families must accept as they move to isolated areas where success remains uncertain, and the shadow of an unfinished plant may loom over them for years, if not forever.
Paul Cetnarski
Paul Cetnarski is an architect (LANDWORKS), researcher and educator focusing on common cultural phenomena around architecture. He graduated with B.Arch. in Architecture and Urban Planning and M.Arch. in Architecture and Heritage preservation from Wrocław UST. He holds a research postgraduate diploma from Strelka Institute. Since 2013 he has been working in an international environment in Bangkok, Berlin, Chicago, Moscow, and Warsaw, translating his international experience into the practice of architecture.