Podcast Summary

Blockspace: AI & Bitcoin

Episode: ENERGY: America’s Nuclear Revival is Here w/ Dr. Hash Hashemian
Date: March 3, 2026
Host: Blockspace Media (Colin Harper & Charlie Spears)
Guest: Dr. Hash Hashemian, President of the American Nuclear Society

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the substantial revival of the nuclear energy sector in the United States, exploring how AI-driven demand for energy is fueling a new wave of nuclear deployment. Colin Harper sits down with Dr. Hash Hashemian, a veteran nuclear engineer and the President of the American Nuclear Society, to assess the current state, challenges, policy shifts, and the future potential—including recycling, technology innovation, and the prospects for fusion—of nuclear energy in the US and globally.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Dr. Hash Hashemian’s Background & AMS Corporation

• Dr. Hashemian shares a personal history of emigrating from Iran to the US to study nuclear engineering, founding the Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation (AMS) during grad school. His company, headquartered in Knoxville, TN, specializes in testing control systems for nuclear reactors, ensuring rapid safe shutdowns.
  • Quote (03:59):
    “We make sure that if something happens in the reactor core, the plant gets to shut down as soon as possible. … We do that in all the nuclear power plants in the United States and we do that in any US made plant in other countries.” — Dr. Hashemian

2. Tennessee’s Nuclear Leadership (06:12 – 07:32)

• Tennessee is currently the leading state in US nuclear energy development, with massive investments in Oak Ridge and strong public and private sector support.
  • Quote (06:12):
    "Tennessee is the number one state in the United States in the development and deployment of nuclear energy. ... There’s about $12 billion already committed for development of nuclear fuel, building of nuclear reactors, all in Oak Ridge."

3. The State of Nuclear in the US (08:04 – 10:01)

• The sector avoids calling the moment a "renaissance" due to past setbacks; "rebirth" or "resurgence" are preferred terms.
• Currently, 94 nuclear plants operate, providing ~20% of US electricity. The drop from a past high is due to economic factors in the 2000s, but the recent surge in demand—driven by AI/data centers, post-COVID economic recovery, and environmental push—has reversed the trend.
• US is extending the operational lifetime of plants (from 40 years originally, now up to 80 with talks of 100).
  • Quote (08:04):
    “About five years ago, everything changed in favor of nuclear power... Nuclear is the second largest source of power generation in the US even today.”

4. Why the Stagnation and Shutdowns? (10:50 – 14:14)

• Economic unviability in the 2000s led to premature closures; now some of those previously shuttered plants (e.g., Palisades, Dwayne Arnold) are being considered for restart due to new economic pressures.
• The AI/data center boom and environmental policies (like those promoted at COP and under both Biden and Trump administrations) are pivotal in this resurgence.
  • Quote (13:43):
    “Everything changed three or four years ago because of the energy demand prompted … by the resurgence of AI and the need of the power, the data center for electricity have just really gave a big spike in the demand for electricity.”

5. Changing Environmental Attitudes (14:14 – 15:04)

• Growing acceptance among the environmental movement; anti-nuclear sentiment has notably softened.
  • Quote (14:43):
    “There are environmental people that they’re totally against nuclear... but the numbers have probably halved over the last five, six years.”

6. Big Tech & The Private Nuclear Revival (15:04 – 16:57)

• Companies like Microsoft (with Constellation) and Google (with NextEra) are moving to restart offline nuclear plants to power their data centers.
  • Quote (15:28):
    “Microsoft through a PPA agreement… decided that the best thing to do is just to restart TMI1… because they need the power. Either build a new nuclear power plant which takes a while or go get one that's already there and restart it.”

7. Barriers to Cheaper Nuclear Buildout (16:57 – 19:44)

• Historically, regulation and over-stringent safety/radiation limits have driven up costs; lost domestic expertise in building major components also factors.

• Recent executive orders and the “Advanced Law” aim to streamline regulations, preserving high safety but cutting paperwork.

  • Quote (17:26):
    “Basically we are saying nuclear plants, radiation environment should be below background or near the background. That's pretty, pretty hard requirement…”

8. Policy & Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Reform (20:39 – 25:00)

• Trump’s executive orders and Congressional action (the “Advanced Law”) are streamlining NRC regulations, helping speed up nuclear development while maintaining global regulatory leadership.
  • Quote (21:10):
    "Now we can go back and say these things … we did them because we didn’t know... let's not do this stuff that doesn’t add anything to safety but creates a lot of paperwork, a lot of red tape.”

9. Perception, Myths, and Safety (25:30 – 27:01)

• Public anxieties—often fueled by media and pop culture—confuse nuclear energy with weaponization; education and communication are needed.
  • Quote (25:53):
    “When we say nuclear power, some people mistake that with nuclear weapons... People have to really be educated that there is two aspects of it.”

10. Executive Orders: Are They Working? (27:01 – 29:47)

• Industry feedback shows that executive action is already reducing regulatory burdens, making projects more feasible.
  • Quote (27:19):
    “There is almost a reversal of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was looking at … utilities generated in nuclear electricity... They all said that the executive orders are new. But … they already see the benefit.”

11. Government Investment and Competition with China (29:56 – 34:25)

• US must invest at the level of half a trillion or more to compete with Chinese state-supported nuclear expansion.
• China’s advantages include copying Western R&D, low labor/environmental standards, and direct state resource allocation.
  • Quote (29:56):
    “The United States government is going to have to come in with a lot of money. ... China's nuclear power, France’s nuclear power, the ones that are very successful, are all government.”

12. Industrial Base, Supply Chain, and Workforce (34:25 – 37:49)

• Lapse in nuclear construction led to lost domestic manufacturing; challenges include reactor vessel fabrication and transformer supply.
• Workforce is rebounding with new government investment, but the sector must build plants to revive supply chains and skill bases.

13. SMRs and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) (40:33 – 44:19)

• SMRs offer decentralized deployment, ideal for data centers; water-cooled SMRs are closest to commercialization, while non-water-cooled ("advanced") reactors are still 10+ years off.
• The sector has consistently over-promised and under-delivered on rollout timelines; Dr. Hashemian cautions against this going forward.
  • Quote (41:00):
    “The advantage ... you can put them next to where you need them. ... That’s why data centers are so hungry for SMRs.”

14. Fusion and Next-Generation Nuclear Technology (46:21 – 50:19)

• Significant progress in fusion, but Dr. Hashemian believes commercialization is still decades away.
• Recycling nuclear fuel (as done in France, but currently illegal in the US) is a top near-term innovation goal. There are moves to legalize this, which could reduce waste and boost efficiency.
  • Quote (46:41):
    “My view is that those [fusion] estimates are pretty optimistic. I think fusion is going to deliver but I think it’s going to be further than five or 10 years…”

Notable Quotes

• On the business of nuclear plant testing:
  “We make sure that if something happens in the reactor core, the plant gets to shut down as soon as possible.” — Dr. Hashemian (03:59)

• On the need for government investment:
  “If you don't do anything big and fast we are going to get behind [China].” — Dr. Hashemian (32:03)

• On the limitations of regulation:
  “The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was recognizing how they are implementing the executive order... while reducing red tape that is unnecessary.” — Dr. Hashemian (21:25)

• On public misconception:
  “Some people mistake nuclear power for nuclear weapons. ... There are two aspects: nuclear energy that generates electricity and nuclear defense.” — Dr. Hashemian (25:53)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Dr. Hashemian’s Background: 03:59 – 05:51
• Tennessee’s Nuclear Prime Status: 06:12 – 07:32
• Current State of US Nuclear Energy: 08:04 – 10:01
• What Caused Nuclear’s Stagnation in 2000s: 10:50 – 14:14
• AI/Data Centers & Nuclear Energy Revival: 14:43 – 16:57
• Corporate-Backed Plant Restarts: 15:28 – 16:57
• Barriers to Building Cheaper Nuclear: 16:57 – 19:44
• Policy & NRC Reform: 20:39 – 25:00
• Environmental Movement & Nuclear: 14:43 – 15:04
• SMRs vs. AMRs Explained: 41:00 – 44:19
• Fusion, Fuel Recycling: 46:21 – 50:19

Memorable Moments

• Elon Musk’s Fukushima Fish Challenge:
  Colin invokes Musk’s famous dare to eat locally-caught fish at Fukushima, highlighting the gap between perception and reality regarding nuclear safety. (25:30)

• Clarifying SMRs:
  Dr. Hashemian provides an indispensable snapshot distinguishing water-cooled vs advanced SMRs—a crucial technical nuance for nuclear’s future. (41:00)

Final Thoughts

Dr. Hashemian is optimistic about US nuclear energy, citing a new era of public and private investment, regulatory reform, and technological innovation, driven especially by unprecedented AI/data center electricity demand. He advocates patience and realism (especially about fusion), better public education, strategic government support, and an emphasis on operational experience to ensure that America’s nuclear resurgence is robust and sustainable.