logo
episode-header-image
May 14
32m 8s

When Nuclear Power Is Cheap—and Safe

Boston Consulting Group BCG
About this episode

We could be on the verge of a nuclear power renaissance. Climate change is one reason: nuclear power remains the largest source of carbon-free energy in the United States. Also, demand for electricity is surging. BCG’s Ben Vannier imagines a future where the promise of less expensive nuclear power has been realized. The key will be small modular reactors (SMRs) that are less complex and easier to build. Let’s not ignore the big question: safety. Nuclear power’s already safe, Ben says, and with SMRs, there's even less risk.

Learn More: 

Ben Vannier: https://on.bcg.com/4jKRQYV 

What’s Holding Back Nuclear in the West?: https://on.bcg.com/42Tg7Gt 

A Fusion Future Is No Longer Wishful Thinking: https://on.bcg.com/44xwWIi 

BCG’s Latest Thinking on Energy: https://on.bcg.com/44weiQR 



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Up next
Yesterday
BCG Presents: In Her Ellement
What can ancient Greek myths teach us about modern leadership? Kirsten Rulf has spent her career at the intersection of tech, policy, and public service. In this episode, Kirsten shares how she found clarity in moments of uncertainty, why AI presents a major opportunity for the p ... Show More
27m 21s
Jun 25
Hang Up and Hang Out: AI Agents Give Us a Phone-Free Future
Apps were supposed to make life easier to navigate, but they often create more complexity. Planning a trip can involve hundreds of digital touchpoints over several months. But new advances–especially the growth of AI agents–coupled with ambient and voice-recognition technology, c ... Show More
30 m
Jun 11
Will AI Finally Defeat Chronic Diseases Like Alzheimer’s?
The pharmaceutical industry has yet to develop highly effective treatments for common chronic and neurological issues, like Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. But GenAI promises to accelerate the discovery and development of breakthrough treatments. BCG’s Priya Chandran expl ... Show More
28m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2022
It's Time to Expand Nuclear Power
The calls for nuclear are growing louder. The Biden administration recently announced that it was putting $6 billion toward saving distressed nuclear power plants from closure, considering them carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels. Elon Musk doubled down, not only calling for ... Show More
53m 15s
May 18
Nuclear power’s global revival
Dozens of new nuclear power projects are planned across the world, amid efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels. But why build more reactors when renewable sources of generating electricity, like wind and solar might be cheaper?We explore why countries are turning - or returnin ... Show More
17m 28s
May 18
A nuclear future for Africa?
Nuclear power is back in favour, as more countries across the world consider ways to cut carbon emissions to combat climate change. Countries like China and Japan are planning to build more reactors, but should nations in Africa invest in renewable sources of generating electrici ... Show More
17m 29s
May 2022
Who Killed Nuclear Energy?
Emmet Penney, creator of Nuclear Barbarians, Grid Brief, and the ex.haust podcast, walks us through the rise, fall and future prospects of nuclear power in the United States. Emmet dives deep on the historical, regulatory, political, and environmentalist forces behind nuclear ene ... Show More
1h 15m
Sep 2024
Ep15: Inside Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant | BG2 w/ Bill Gurley & Brad Gerstner
Open Source bi-weekly convo w/ Bill Gurley and Brad Gerstner on all things tech, markets, investing & capitalism. This week they sit down with Maureen Zawalick (Vice President at Diablo Canyon Power Plant) to discuss the importance of nuclear power, the history and future of Diab ... Show More
1h 18m
Nov 2024
Episode 86
You may have heard that a "nuclear renaissance" is gathering pace, driven most recently by something called “small modular reactors” or SMRs. Apparently, SMRs are going to be ubiquitous everywhere and are going to play a key part in decarbonization. The Angry Clean Energy Guy on ... Show More
29 m
Nov 2024
AI Powers Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Plant Back to Life
Big tech companies are striking deals to bring more nuclear power online to meet the energy demands of AI while curbing surging carbon emissions tied to data centers. Now, one provider of nuclear power is looking to bring Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island plant back to life, after ... Show More
13 m
Dec 2022
MacroVoices #355 Mark Nelson: Understanding All Things Nuclear
In this first part of holiday special, MacroVoices welcomes nuclear engineer Mark Nelson to the show to discuss all things nuclear. Erik and Mark start with a brief history of the industry, then talk about both real and perceived problems with nuclear power, before moving on to d ... Show More
2h 34m
Nov 2024
Nuclear Power: A Solution for AI's Energy Needs?
In this conversation, Jamie and Jaeden discuss the significant energy challenges faced by AI technologies and the efforts of major tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon to find sustainable energy solutions. They explore the potential of nuclear power as a clean energy s ... Show More
10m 49s
Nov 2022
Sources of energy
Xem nội dung bài nghe ở đây nhaaa! Kết nối với mình qua FB: https://www.facebook.com/callum.nguyen/ Right now, the biggest source of energy (nguồn năng lượng lớn nhất) in the world is fossil fuel (nhiên liệu hóa thạch) . Fossil fuels are oil, gas, and coal (dầu, khí ga, và than) ... Show More
8m 17s