Tech Today with Eric Tarczynski Why America is Rebooting the Atomic Age
May 27, 2025
Isaiah Taylor, founder and CEO of Valar Atomics, dives into President Trump's executive orders to revive U.S. nuclear energy. He emphasizes the importance of uranium independence and discusses how America lost its lead in the global nuclear race. Taylor highlights the need for regulatory changes to accelerate nuclear innovation and the urgency of developing advanced reactors to meet national security challenges. The conversation also touches on AI's impact on energy demand and the shifting dynamics in the semiconductor market.
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Nuclear Regulation Bottleneck
- The bottleneck in nuclear energy has been the regulatory environment, with only four construction permits granted in 45 years.
- Reforming regulation and fostering innovation cycles are critical to advancing safe, modern nuclear reactors.
Industry-Led Nuclear Regulation
- Effective nuclear regulation must follow industry development, not precede it.
- Testing reactors with real data before regulation improves safety and speeds approvals.
DOE's Test Reactor Mandate
- The DOE’s key role is operating and testing nuclear reactors to swiftly innovate and regulate them.
- The goal is to have three test reactors running on US soil by July 4, 2026, to reboot nuclear capabilities.