Nuclear power is expensive and difficult to build, but a new global bank aims to change that

A new campaign aims to build a global bank dedicated to building nuclear power plants around the world.

The idea for the International Bank for Nuclear Infrastructure has been circulating for a few years .

IBNI would cut out Russia and China in favor of establishing a new multilateral institution akin to the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund .

Pressure mounting on the World Bank to lift its ban on nuclear plants.

Some Western lending institutions are designed to fund projects primarily in developing countries.

The World Bank has refused to fund nuclear projects since a single investment in Italy ’s now-defunct atomic sector in 1959 .

South Korea , which generates much of its electricity from atomic fission, has fared better, but the previous government tried to destroy the domestic nuclear industry.

Conservative think tanks and pundits have argued in favor of defunding the Ex-Im Bank entirely.

The fight to begin anew next year when Congress begins debating reauthorizing the bank's charter.

Dean says meetings with officials have been positive, and noted the support for nuclear energy across the American political spectrum.