The 'Breakneck' Push to Onshore US Nuclear Security

Steffan Szumowski, a 16-year US Nuclear Navy veteran and author of "The Nuclear Review," joins the show to discuss the accelerating momentum of the domestic nuclear industry under the current administration. The conversation covers the Department of Energy's ambitious "breakneck" push to have three new reactors attain criticality by July 4, 2026, supported by new pilot programs for both reactors and fuel. Szumowski explains the strategic effort to onshore the supply chain by awarding $900 million contracts to companies like Centris and Orano to build domestic enrichment capacity and eliminate reliance on Russian supply. The guests explore how the massive power needs of AI data centers are driving "hyperscaler" deals with advanced reactor companies like Oklo and TerraPower, even as debate continues over the future of large-scale AP1000 deployments. Szumowski shares insights from his experience operating submarine reactors and highlights why real engineering progress is the only way to win the race among 126 different small modular reactor designs.

Support for this podcast and all of Clear Commodity Network comes from TerraHutton.