This is part 2 of my conversation with Mark Nelson about the energy crisis and nuclear power. If you haven’t heard it already, you should start with part 1:
Part 2 covers a lot of ground, including how decisions are really made (emotions vs rationality), lessons from history and the pyramids of ancient Egypt on civilizational capabilities, the grid as an experiment, can we maintain it, expand it, what changed 20-30 years ago that may have broken it, why Europe’s winter crisis won’t last just one year, why the UK is in the worst position (“you don’t survive in the long run by surviving on average”), what the market system for the grid doesn’t take into account, how the UK YOLO’ed its energy system, pros & cons of small modular reactors (SMRs), innovation vs proven designs, China’s construction techniques, what’s so special about Canada’s CANDU reactors, the company Clean Core Thorium Energy, fusion vs fission, active and passive safety designs for reactors, and more.
🎧 Listen on Spotify
If you prefer to listen on Spotify, here’s the feed:
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts
Here’s the podcast feed on Apple Podcasts:
📺 Watch on YouTube
📃 Full transcript
I hope you enjoy the conversation. If you do, please consider becoming a supporter (💚 🥃), the newsletter and podcast can’t continue without your help:
Mark Nelson: ‘Is Zaporizhzhia a Danger to Uranium Sentiment?’
If you want more, Mark did an interview in mid-August about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
Further reading by the Radiant Energy Group 📄📄
Life Extension and Restoration of Germany’s Reactors. Can it Be Done?
State of Nuclear Energy Support in the UK and its Driving Forces
More of my writings on Nuclear ☢️⚡️🔌
☢️ Rebranding nuclear power? How can we fight the double standard? ☢️
☢️ ‘The Energy of Tomorrow: The Promise, Failure, and Possible Rebirth of Nuclear Power’ ☢️
On December 31st, 2021: ‘Germany pulled the plug on three of its last six nuclear plants’ 🤦♀️
NuScale: US regulator will certify small nuclear reactor design for first time ☢️🇺🇸
‘UK to put nuclear power at heart of net zero emissions strategy’, Nuclear Power Edition
Share this post