In Britain, energy giant EDF is to press ahead with building the first new nuclear power station in the UK for a generation after final approval from its board.
After years of delay, a board meeting in Paris voted by 10-7 to give the go ahead for the £18bn Hinkley Point power station in Somerset in the southwest of England.
The vote was closer than expected but was warmly welcomed by business groups and trade unions, with 25,000 jobs now set to be created.
EDF is now expected to sign contracts with the British government, China General Nuclear Power Generation and the main suppliers of the project.
In a statement, the company said the first concrete of reactor 1 of Hinckley Point C, scheduled for mid-2019, will coincide with the start-up of the European Pressurised Reactor at Flamanville in France scheduled for the end of 2018.
The decision has been warmly welcomed by industry and union leaders but attacked by environmental groups.
Britain's Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: "The UK needs a reliable and secure energy supply and the Government believes that nuclear energy is an important part of the mix.
"The Government will now consider carefully all the component parts of this project and make its decision in the early autumn."
Some observers expressed surprise that no signings will be made tomorrow, as had been expected, to cement the deal after years of delay.
John Sauven, Greenpeace executive director, said: "Theresa May now has a chance to stop this radioactive white elephant in its tracks.
"She should look at the evidence and see that this deal would be a monumental disaster for taxpayers and bill payers. The UK needs to invest in safe, reliable renewable power.
"The Government should be embracing new innovative technologies that are powering Northern European countries already and coming down in price every year.
"We don't want to be left behind and locked into an old-fashioned nuclear power plant that isn't working anywhere in the world and isn't fit for the 21st century."
Phil Whitehurst, GMB national officer, said: "This decision sends a clear post-Brexit signal to the world that UK PLC is open for business and important, high-profile infrastructure projects like Hinkley Point mean Britain is serious about remaining a key player for decades to come."
