Longer interview
⚡The US has 94 operating reactors producing 97 GW of electricity, accounting for 18.5% of grid energy production, while total installed production capacity is 1,250 GW.
China has doubled its grid production since 2010 and will triple it by the end of the decade, demonstrating that rapid grid expansion is possible if desired.
Domestic Uranium Enrichment
🏭The US currently lacks domestic uranium enrichment capability, relying on foreign state-backed entities for enriched uranium production, with only one-third produced domestically.
🔬Advanced nuclear reactors require 20% enriched fuel for smaller cores, lower costs, and higher energy density, but the US lacks domestic capability to produce this fuel.
🇺🇸General Matter aims to bring back domestic uranium enrichment in the US, focusing on low-cost production of both 5% and 20% enriched fuel to support advanced nuclear reactors.
Nuclear Industry Growth and Challenges
📈The US needs to quadruple nuclear energy production by 2050, requiring massive new reactor builds and fuel production.
🏗️General Matter plans to construct large commercial facilities in pro-nuclear states like Texas, Wyoming, Utah, and Washington to produce enriched uranium by the end of the decade.
🔋Mini reactors (1-20 MW) will be used in remote villages and army bases, while small modular reactors (20-300 MW) will power data centers, and traditional reactors (1 GW+) will provide grid-scale energy.
Future of Nuclear Energy
🖥️Nuclear reactors are the ideal answer for AI data centers due to their safety, potentially low cost, and zero carbon emissions.
✈️Nuclear companies plan to use large reactors to produce sustainable aviation fuel and other forms of fuel for cars and airplanes.
💧Next-generation nuclear reactors use closed-loop cooling with no water consumption and can produce thermal energy for desalination and other uses.
Energy Production and Economic Growth
🏭Energy production will be the key driver of the next decade, with the US needing to grow its grid to maintain leadership in AI, manufacturing, and critical industries.
⚖️The balance between supply and demand will determine electricity prices, with the demand curve driven by AI, data centers, and EVs.
Environmental and Regulatory Considerations
♻️The US has a small nuclear waste issue, with spent fuel pellets only filling half an Olympic-sized swimming pool, which can be recycled for more energy.
📋The US needs to reform environmental regulations like NEPA to streamline approvals for large-scale infrastructure projects and unblock nuclear reactor construction.
Global Nuclear Industry Shifts
🌍The world is moving towards nuclear energy, with countries like Kazakhstan, Australia, and Canada becoming more important as uranium production and mining increase.