Does the growth of civilian nuclear power increase the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation? Up to now, no country having opted to develop nuclear weapons has done so by diverting civilian materials or facilities subject to International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. But it is understandable that the civilian nuclear renaissance and its extension to new countries bring the issues of safety, security and the international non-proliferation regime sharply into focus. Even though the technology is not suitable for all countries, new nations could nonetheless acquire it to generate electricity or desalinate seawater through international cooperation, without necessarily having a national enrichment or used fuel treatment industry.