Jeff Brumfield

Clay says these reactors are going to be small and modular, and it's going to actually take several units to power a data center. But crucially, he says, this system has one really big advantage.

Clay says these reactors are going to be small and modular, and it's going to actually take several units to power a data center. But crucially, he says, this system has one really big advantage.

Yeah, it sounds great. I mean, the question is, can they make it work? The thing is only on paper right now. There's never been a reactor like it built in the U.S. before. There is one operating in China, but that's only a demo project. There's a lot of things that can make this really tricky to get running. For example, normal reactors use water to cool their core. The water runs through.

Yeah, it sounds great. I mean, the question is, can they make it work? The thing is only on paper right now. There's never been a reactor like it built in the U.S. before. There is one operating in China, but that's only a demo project. There's a lot of things that can make this really tricky to get running. For example, normal reactors use water to cool their core. The water runs through.

Yeah, it sounds great. I mean, the question is, can they make it work? The thing is only on paper right now. There's never been a reactor like it built in the U.S. before. There is one operating in China, but that's only a demo project. There's a lot of things that can make this really tricky to get running. For example, normal reactors use water to cool their core. The water runs through.

It turns into steam. The steam goes into a heat exchanger, and that heat runs a turbine. It's actually quite similar to how other kinds of power plants work. But this reactor is going to use high pressure helium gas. It's a completely new coolant. Also, these pebbles that they're fabricating haven't been used as reactor fuel before either. There's just a lot more uncertainty in the design.

It turns into steam. The steam goes into a heat exchanger, and that heat runs a turbine. It's actually quite similar to how other kinds of power plants work. But this reactor is going to use high pressure helium gas. It's a completely new coolant. Also, these pebbles that they're fabricating haven't been used as reactor fuel before either. There's just a lot more uncertainty in the design.

It turns into steam. The steam goes into a heat exchanger, and that heat runs a turbine. It's actually quite similar to how other kinds of power plants work. But this reactor is going to use high pressure helium gas. It's a completely new coolant. Also, these pebbles that they're fabricating haven't been used as reactor fuel before either. There's just a lot more uncertainty in the design.

And so it's going to take time to make sure it works and then convince the regulators to let it operate.

And so it's going to take time to make sure it works and then convince the regulators to let it operate.

And so it's going to take time to make sure it works and then convince the regulators to let it operate.

You know, that's exactly the question to ask, right? This AI revolution is happening right now. I mean, it's at breakneck speeds. And because of accidents like Three Mile Island, nothing in the nuclear industry ever happens quickly. Everything has to be scrutinized and done very, very carefully, regulated, overseen. These are just two super different engineering cultures.

You know, that's exactly the question to ask, right? This AI revolution is happening right now. I mean, it's at breakneck speeds. And because of accidents like Three Mile Island, nothing in the nuclear industry ever happens quickly. Everything has to be scrutinized and done very, very carefully, regulated, overseen. These are just two super different engineering cultures.

You know, that's exactly the question to ask, right? This AI revolution is happening right now. I mean, it's at breakneck speeds. And because of accidents like Three Mile Island, nothing in the nuclear industry ever happens quickly. Everything has to be scrutinized and done very, very carefully, regulated, overseen. These are just two super different engineering cultures.

And the way I've come to think about it is Silicon Valley loves to go fast and break things. The nuclear industry has to move very, very, very slowly because nothing can ever break. Yeah. So Sharon Squassoni is a research professor at George Washington University who studied nuclear power's potential to fight climate change.

And the way I've come to think about it is Silicon Valley loves to go fast and break things. The nuclear industry has to move very, very, very slowly because nothing can ever break. Yeah. So Sharon Squassoni is a research professor at George Washington University who studied nuclear power's potential to fight climate change.

And the way I've come to think about it is Silicon Valley loves to go fast and break things. The nuclear industry has to move very, very, very slowly because nothing can ever break. Yeah. So Sharon Squassoni is a research professor at George Washington University who studied nuclear power's potential to fight climate change.

And she wonders whether Silicon Valley really knows what they're getting into.

And she wonders whether Silicon Valley really knows what they're getting into.

And she wonders whether Silicon Valley really knows what they're getting into.