Debunking Myths of Nuclear Energy and Waste

This chapter addresses common misconceptions about nuclear energy and its waste, highlighting the relatively small amount of waste produced compared to fossil fuels. It emphasizes the importance of reshaping public perception about nuclear power's role in meeting energy demands sustainably.

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Isaiah Taylor (Valar Atomics), JC Btaiche (Fuse), & Packy McCormick (Not Boring) join Molly O’Shea to explore how nuclear energy—fission and fusion—is at the heart of America's industrial resurgence and the race for AI dominance.

Isaiah unpacks Valar Atomic’s plan to scale modular fission reactors across the U.S., breaking decades of regulatory stagnation and reimagining how America powers its factories and data centers. JC shares Fuse’s rapid-fire progress in fusion technology, from breakthroughs in pulse neutron generation to vertical integration strategies that echo SpaceX. Packy ties it all together with insights from his investing & writing in Nuclear through Not Boring, explaining why energy-rich, hardware-driven businesses will define the AI age... Bonus we talk about his popular essay The Great Differentiation.

Together, we dive into:

• Fission to fusion, atoms to AI, and Detroit to D.C.

• The role of next-gen nuclear in energy sovereignty

• The strategic urgency to outpace China

• Regulatory tailwinds post-EOs and DOE testing

• Why AI’s energy demands are the catalyst

• How differentiated brand, design, & execution will define the winners in an AI slop world

This conversation is part of Sourcery’s “Made in America” Mini-Series recorded at the Reindustrialize 2025 Summit.

Connect with us:

1. Isaiah Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaiahptaylor/

2. JC Btaiche: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcbtaiche/

3. Packy McCormick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/packym/

4. Molly O’Shea: https://x.com/MollySOShea

5. Sourcery: https://x.com/sourceryvc

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(00:00) The American Atomic Age

(01:15) Isaiah Taylor on U.S. nuclear industry

(03:34) Why modular reactors are the key to scale

(06:47) China’s nuclear lead

(08:32) Valar’s path to criticality & DOE testing

(11:06) Foreign funding & misinformation campaigns

(13:01) Nuclear myths: “It wouldn’t fill an Olympic pool”

(15:29) Why Gen IV reactors are meltdown-proof

(17:29) AI as a tailwind for nuclear infrastructure

(19:21) Misconceptions in nuclear & energy performance