Nuclear Truth vs. Renewable Myths: Dr. Gene Nelson Exposes California’s Energy Crisis

In this episode of Energy Newsbeat – Conversations in Energy, host Stu Turley sits down with Dr. Gene Nelson of Californians for Green Nuclear Power and the “Green Nuke” Substack to unpack how anti-nuclear ideology and California’s Public Utilities Commission are ignoring basic physics and economics. Dr. Nelson explains why overreliance on solar, wind, and batteries makes grids brittle—citing the April 28 blackout in Spain and idle nuclear plants taxed to prop up renewables—while nuclear delivers cheap, reliable, 24/7 power with strong safety records and massive “synchronous inertia” for heavy loads like California’s water system.They dig into Diablo Canyon’s real-world performance and safety culture, debunk nuclear fearmongering, highlight the hidden costs, land use, waste, and subsidies behind wind and solar, and connect these policies to deindustrialization in places like Germany and California. Throughout, Dr. Nelson shares his on-the-ground advocacy, from farmers’ markets to PUC hearings, arguing that embracing nuclear is essential for energy reliability, national security, and an honest path forward on emissions.Due to Gavin Newsom’s energy policies, California and the entire West Coast of the United States are facing one of the most significant national security threats you can experience. And that is an energy crisis on a self-imposed path of Net Zero and the elimination of nuclear and fossil fuels. Well, they wanted to take atomic power down with those same policies, and it just does not make sense to shut down the other nuclear reactors in the name of clean energy.As for the war on fossil fuels, they executed that war too well, and they got what they wanted, only to see the oil companies go out of business or leave the West Coast. Now Californians will have to import more than 70% of their oil, including gasoline and diesel. And there will be more tankers off the California coast, causing ecological damage and potential accidents.Dr. Gene Nelson brings up some critical points about wind and solar power. It is based upon facts and physics. When driving on the highway vs. stop-and-go traffic, you use less gasoline and emit less. Well, the same thing applies to wind and solar on the grid: trying to put DC power from wind and solar into AC systems.Thank you, Dr. Nelson, for your dedication to nuclear and clean power for California and the United States. I truly appreciate your efforts and your insights on this critical topic for California. - Stu Highlights of the Podcast00:00 - Intro1:24 – CPUC Issues and Bureaucratic Problems4:24 – “We Don’t Need No Stinking Physics” Moment6:50 – Spain–Portugal Blackout Explained7:52 – Why Spain Idled Its Nuclear Plants8:53 – Germany’s Nuclear Exit & Economic Decline9:53 – Three Mile Island Reality vs Fear10:49 – Nuclear Training, Simulators & Safety Culture13:22 – Diablo Canyon Outage & Operator Preparedness15:07 – Dr. Nelson’s Car Accident Story16:40 – The Origin of the Green Headband19:27 – Net Zero Myths & Real Grid Costs21:57 – Solar, Wind & True LCOE+ Costs22:59 – China’s Nuclear Expansion & Global Energy Shift23:25 – Understanding Grid Inertia & Reliability25:11 – California’s Massive Water Pumps & Power Needs27:24 – How Renewables Raise Emissions & Wear Out Engines29:18 – Inside Diablo Canyon: Turbines & Control Room31:15 – Earthquake Simulation & Real-World Plant Response32:27 – Why Diablo Canyon Is Built Like a Fortress34:15 – Microreactors, New Fuel & Nuclear Innovation37:32 – Nuclear Safety Compared to Wind Turbine Risks39:03 – Land Use Problems: Solar & Wind Footprint41:22 – Subsidies, Repowering & Hidden Costs43:13 – Solar Waste, Toxic Panels & Recycling Issues45:59 – EVs Powered Mostly by Fossil Fuels47:22 – Imported Jet Fuel & “Green” Policy Contradictions48:55 – Sinopec Dependence & Energy Security50:03 – PUC Regulatory Capture & High Power Costs52:04 – Media Narratives vs Energy Reality53:21 – How to Contact Dr. Nelson & Support CGNP57:42 – California’s Energy Crisis & National Security58:56 – Final Thoughts, Thanks & OutroWe recommend subscribing to Dr. Nelson's GreenNuke Substack. https://greennuke.substack.com/Full transcript on https://energynewsbeat.co/Check out other discussions on https://theenergynewsbeat.substack.com/

There are no comments yet.

Please log in to write the first comment.