Inevitable (An MCJ Podcast)

Episode: AI’s Power Gap and Nuclear’s Return with The Nuclear Company

Release Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Cody Simms
Guest: Julianne Edwards, Chief Development Officer, The Nuclear Company; Chair, U.S. Women in Nuclear

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode dives deep into the evolving role of nuclear power in the United States during a period of surging energy demand, largely driven by artificial intelligence, data centers, reshoring of manufacturing, and electrification. Host Cody Simms interviews Julianne Edwards of The Nuclear Company about the momentum behind a “nuclear return,” key barriers around cost and project execution, lessons from recent projects like Vogtle, and how The Nuclear Company plans to deliver a new model for nuclear deployment. The conversation also covers nuclear’s workforce pipeline, regulatory hurdles, waste, export potential, and impending partnerships—especially between nuclear, software, and AI.

Personal Journey of Julianne Edwards

[02:55]

Julianne is not a nuclear engineer but entered the industry through supply chain and steel commodities, motivated by personal experience with pollution and a desire for regulated, clean energy.
She started in steel commodity sales for reactor components, first entering the sector due to a chance encounter while bartending.
Early career included auditing European steel mills, learning about strict nuclear regulations and traceability requirements.
Worked on both the "nuclear renaissance" (mid-2000s) and subsequent "decommissioning wave" after the emergence of cheap natural gas.
Passionate about workforce development and environmental justice due to personal and regional history with pollution.

“I come from a pretty rural part of Florida… had some devastation… groundwater contamination… I just told my guidance counselor, I don’t want to work in the mines. I want to go do something that’s safe and environmentally friendly and regulated. Nuclear popped up in a Google search in the early 2000s and I made it my mission to go into it.” — Julianne, [03:30]

The Nuclear Company’s Unique Approach

[00:00], [17:54], [18:19], [21:09]

Not Innovating on Reactor Tech: Instead, the company is tackling the "other 88%" of costs—construction, financing, project management—using proven reactor designs like AP1000.
Fleet Scale Model: Building multiple reactors at once, not only for cost savings through repetition but to catalyze a whole-of-supply-chain ramp-up.
AI-Powered Project Delivery: Partnership with Palantir to develop a "Nuclear Operating System" (NOS) for orchestration, transparency, and predictive problem solving across projects.
The company aims to act as an integrated EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) arm, taking on project risk, rather than pushing it onto utilities or ratepayers, and ultimately to hold long-term equity in the projects.

“We don’t have in this country a technology problem… What we have is a build problem. And China realized very early on… to make themselves become a larger economy, they have to bring their total system costs… down. That’s why we have to look at that and say, if China wins manufacturing like they did, nuclear like they’re going to, and then AI— we are going to become so reliant on them. And that’s what keeps us up at night.” — Julianne, [12:58]

Industry Context and Historical Waves

[09:33]

First Wave: US nuclear growth in the ‘60s and ‘70s—over 100 large light water reactors were built, then the market stalled due to economic events, the oil crisis, deregulation, and manufacturing loss to China.
Second Wave: “Nuclear Renaissance” in mid-2000s, focused on small modular reactors (SMR), followed by another stall owing to the shale gas boom and nuclear accidents elsewhere.
Now: New surging demand (AI, electrification), supportive federal policy, strong operational track record, and calls for nuclear as a national security and export asset.

Community Perception & NIMBY Shift

[08:19]

On “Not in my backyard” (NIMBY): Surprisingly, Julianne reports growing support for hosting nuclear locally, which she calls a "generational shift."

“A lot of folks were actually replacing not in my backyard with nuclear in my backyard. They all wanted it. So I think we're seeing a generational shift.” — Julianne, [08:19]

U.S. Women in Nuclear

[05:28]

Emerged post-Three Mile Island and Chernobyl to provide credible advocacy and workforce development.
Focused on diversifying and retaining nuclear workforce, advancing advocacy, and professional development.
Their recent conference drew almost a thousand participants—reflecting increased engagement.

Lessons from the Vogtle Project

[15:11]

Vogtle 3 & 4 (AP1000 reactors in Georgia) faced major cost overruns and delays.
Mistake: Construction began with only 30-40% of designs complete; using a new, untested regulatory approach complicated the process.
The industry now emphasizes "design-complete" prior to breaking ground and learning from “fleet scale” models applied successfully in France, Korea, China.
Need for sustained, sequenced order books to support supply chain predictability, not one-off projects.

“What went wrong though, is we didn’t have a design complete and we use a totally different regulatory model to go build… The cost of doing it the old way, single projects at a time, that just doesn’t work.” — Julianne, [16:39]

Current Project Pathways: Upgrades, Restarts, Extensions

[24:03]

Upgrading: Extended power upgrades to existing plants for both lifetime and output boosts.
Restarting: Bringing back dormant reactors (e.g., Three Mile Island), enabled by power purchase agreements with customers like hyperscalers.
Extensions: Building new units on permitted, previously under-built sites.
SMR deployment is anticipated but unproven; first deployments pending.

Nuclear Workforce & Skills

[22:46]

While some skill base exists due to ongoing maintenance/outages, large-scale build capacity has dwindled.
Significant push to recruit and train new workers, especially through trade schools and partnerships.
Skilled trades (electricians, etc.) in massive demand—across energy and AI/data center domains.

Business Model & Economics

[19:24], [42:08], [43:07]

The Nuclear Company seeks to be an integrated developer—not just a consultant or vendor.
They aim for long-term equity participation, not just fees, creating alignment with utilities, manufacturers, and communities.
The company views lowering the cost of electricity and supporting US industry as central to its mission.

"Our culture is going to be driven at anybody that wants to partner with us. This design-once-build-many approach has to be the way that we get this off the ground…" — Julianne, [43:26]

Regulatory Landscape, NRC, and AI

[34:32], [37:40]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is not “the boogeyman” but is challenged by legacy data, tech debt, and a lack of prior build activity. The urgency of new demand is forcing reevaluation and modernization.
AI and software (in partnership with Palantir) will be used to digitize, integrate, and optimize development, compliance, and operations, reducing cost and time.

“There's so much data. We just need to dump it so that we don't have those hallucinations. And we're using it in a way to harness efficiency, reduce administrative burden...” — Julianne, [36:46]

Palantir Partnership & Nuclear Operating System

[37:40], [39:35]

$100M, 5-year partnership to build an integrated project management platform.
Enables predictive analytics, scheduling, supply chain management, early-risk prevention.
Platform intended to spread best practices and efficiency not only within The Nuclear Company’s projects but across the industry.
Partnership accelerates the company’s path “light years ahead” versus internal software development.

Political Outlook & Policy Risk

[44:15]

Bipartisan support for nuclear at federal and state level is strong; moratoriums lifting across US.
Julianne is optimistic about continued momentum, emerging from both understanding and necessity.

Nuclear Waste

[45:34]

The public often misconstrues the problem (“Simpsons goo” stereotype).
Actual nuclear waste is just "spent" (not fully depleted) fuel, stored for now safely above ground in concrete casks.
US lags France and others on recycling/reprocessing; Julianne advocates for US investment in recycling infrastructure for “used” fuel.

US Nuclear as Export & Geopolitical Tool

[47:18]

Global demand to quadruple nuclear—newcomer nations need partners and technology.
China and Russia are aggressively exporting tech, creating dependencies via financing and fuel takeback (often without weapons safeguards).
US tech requires 123 Agreement for non-proliferation; Julianne cites this as vital for both security and global leadership.

“If we don't do that, China and Russia… are going to create these massive dependencies… and they are not having to say, hey, Russia and China, you actually can come in my backyard and build nuclear… and they don't know if they're enriching uranium for weapons purposes. That's a whole different world.” — Julianne, [47:18]

Hyperscalers, Data Centers, and Power Demand

[50:46]

AI/data center providers (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta) have shifted from renewable-centric to becoming vocal supporters and potential co-investors in nuclear.
Realizing the scale and timing for their power needs, they're increasingly willing to take on development and even construction risk in nuclear projects, both at large and SMR/micro grid scale.

“I'm talking to all of them and you're seeing them say, hey, my energy demands are literally going to go through the roof in the next two to three years. I don't know where that's going to come from. Nuclear, you're telling me it's going to take five to 10 years. What can I do to help you? They're talking about development capital, they're talking about taking… construction risk…” — Julianne, [50:46]

The Future: Building a Movement

[54:21]

Julianne underscores a need to humanize nuclear—linking it to local, high-paying jobs, community security, and US leadership.
The Nuclear Company has produced a "Nuclear Frontier" documentary, premiering September 15th, to support public education and workforce recruitment, followed by a national bus tour.

“I welcome it. … That is the nature of this industry. … We decided to do a documentary… because … we haven’t humanized it, we haven’t explained truly the benefits and what it means.” — Julianne, [53:12]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Generational Attitude Change:
“Not in my backyard is shifting to nuclear in my backyard.” — Julianne, [08:19]
On the Real Issue:
“We don’t have a technology problem... What we have is a build problem.” — Julianne, [12:58]
On NRC & Regulation:
“I don’t think they’re the boogeyman. ... But just like all of us, we’re going to have to think about things differently so that we can build as quickly as possible if we’re going to win this AI arms race.” — Julianne, [34:45]
On Opportunity:
“If China wins manufacturing like they did, nuclear like they’re going to, and then AI — we are going to become so reliant on them. And that’s what keeps us up at night.” — Julianne, [12:58]
On Waste:
“Public perception is nuclear waste is what they see on the Simpsons. ... It is the most highly accounted for, inventoried, safe and actually we don't put it in the ground. We put it right above the ground on like a football size field…” — Julianne, [45:34]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[00:00] Introduction, stakes of US nuclear and global competition
[02:55] Julianne’s background: unlikely path into nuclear
[05:28] U.S. Women in Nuclear: advocacy and workforce
[08:19] Community attitudes, NIMBY to “Nuclear in my backyard”
[09:33] Three “waves” in US nuclear
[12:58] National security, US vs. China and cost dynamics
[15:11] The Vogtle case study: what went wrong/right
[17:54] New “fleet scale” model and benefits
[21:09] Breaking down the cost pie: focus on project delivery, not reactor tech
[22:46] Workforce challenges and trade pipeline
[24:03] Project types: upgrade, restarts, extensions
[28:46] Multiple reactor designs at a single site
[31:46] Executive team backgrounds: blends nuclear veterans and disruptors
[34:32] NRC and regulatory evolution, AI potential
[37:40] Palantir partnership for project delivery AI operating system
[42:08] Business model: from consulting to equity
[44:15] Political support and risk assessment
[45:34] Nuclear waste realities and solutions
[47:18] US nuclear as a global tool
[50:46] Hyperscalers and energy demand
[53:12] Documentary and public engagement

Episode Takeaways

The US faces an existential energy supply challenge as demand skyrockets; nuclear is back in the spotlight as a reliable, clean base load option.
The Nuclear Company focuses on execution, not basic science: using proven reactor designs, fleet scale deployment, and AI-powered delivery to tackle the complex “soft costs” that have stalled US progress.
Attitudes toward nuclear are shifting as communities, industry, and policy leaders recognize the intertwined issues of energy security, economic growth, and climate action.
Modernizing regulation, digitizing processes, and recruiting a new workforce are as vital as any technological advance.
With global rivals racing ahead, the US has a window to reclaim nuclear leadership—but only if it transforms the way projects are developed and delivered.

Inevitable (An MCJ Podcast)

Episode: AI’s Power Gap and Nuclear’s Return with The Nuclear Company

Release Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Cody Simms
Guest: Julianne Edwards, Chief Development Officer, The Nuclear Company; Chair, U.S. Women in Nuclear

Main Theme & Purpose

Personal Journey of Julianne Edwards

[02:55]

Julianne is not a nuclear engineer but entered the industry through supply chain and steel commodities, motivated by personal experience with pollution and a desire for regulated, clean energy.
She started in steel commodity sales for reactor components, first entering the sector due to a chance encounter while bartending.
Early career included auditing European steel mills, learning about strict nuclear regulations and traceability requirements.
Worked on both the "nuclear renaissance" (mid-2000s) and subsequent "decommissioning wave" after the emergence of cheap natural gas.
Passionate about workforce development and environmental justice due to personal and regional history with pollution.

“I come from a pretty rural part of Florida… had some devastation… groundwater contamination… I just told my guidance counselor, I don’t want to work in the mines. I want to go do something that’s safe and environmentally friendly and regulated. Nuclear popped up in a Google search in the early 2000s and I made it my mission to go into it.” — Julianne, [03:30]

The Nuclear Company’s Unique Approach

[00:00], [17:54], [18:19], [21:09]

Not Innovating on Reactor Tech: Instead, the company is tackling the "other 88%" of costs—construction, financing, project management—using proven reactor designs like AP1000.
Fleet Scale Model: Building multiple reactors at once, not only for cost savings through repetition but to catalyze a whole-of-supply-chain ramp-up.
AI-Powered Project Delivery: Partnership with Palantir to develop a "Nuclear Operating System" (NOS) for orchestration, transparency, and predictive problem solving across projects.
The company aims to act as an integrated EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) arm, taking on project risk, rather than pushing it onto utilities or ratepayers, and ultimately to hold long-term equity in the projects.

“We don’t have in this country a technology problem… What we have is a build problem. And China realized very early on… to make themselves become a larger economy, they have to bring their total system costs… down. That’s why we have to look at that and say, if China wins manufacturing like they did, nuclear like they’re going to, and then AI— we are going to become so reliant on them. And that’s what keeps us up at night.” — Julianne, [12:58]

Industry Context and Historical Waves

[09:33]

First Wave: US nuclear growth in the ‘60s and ‘70s—over 100 large light water reactors were built, then the market stalled due to economic events, the oil crisis, deregulation, and manufacturing loss to China.
Second Wave: “Nuclear Renaissance” in mid-2000s, focused on small modular reactors (SMR), followed by another stall owing to the shale gas boom and nuclear accidents elsewhere.
Now: New surging demand (AI, electrification), supportive federal policy, strong operational track record, and calls for nuclear as a national security and export asset.

Community Perception & NIMBY Shift

[08:19]

On “Not in my backyard” (NIMBY): Surprisingly, Julianne reports growing support for hosting nuclear locally, which she calls a "generational shift."

“A lot of folks were actually replacing not in my backyard with nuclear in my backyard. They all wanted it. So I think we're seeing a generational shift.” — Julianne, [08:19]

U.S. Women in Nuclear

[05:28]

Emerged post-Three Mile Island and Chernobyl to provide credible advocacy and workforce development.
Focused on diversifying and retaining nuclear workforce, advancing advocacy, and professional development.
Their recent conference drew almost a thousand participants—reflecting increased engagement.

Lessons from the Vogtle Project

[15:11]

Vogtle 3 & 4 (AP1000 reactors in Georgia) faced major cost overruns and delays.
Mistake: Construction began with only 30-40% of designs complete; using a new, untested regulatory approach complicated the process.
The industry now emphasizes "design-complete" prior to breaking ground and learning from “fleet scale” models applied successfully in France, Korea, China.
Need for sustained, sequenced order books to support supply chain predictability, not one-off projects.

“What went wrong though, is we didn’t have a design complete and we use a totally different regulatory model to go build… The cost of doing it the old way, single projects at a time, that just doesn’t work.” — Julianne, [16:39]

Current Project Pathways: Upgrades, Restarts, Extensions

[24:03]

Upgrading: Extended power upgrades to existing plants for both lifetime and output boosts.
Restarting: Bringing back dormant reactors (e.g., Three Mile Island), enabled by power purchase agreements with customers like hyperscalers.
Extensions: Building new units on permitted, previously under-built sites.
SMR deployment is anticipated but unproven; first deployments pending.

Nuclear Workforce & Skills

[22:46]

While some skill base exists due to ongoing maintenance/outages, large-scale build capacity has dwindled.
Significant push to recruit and train new workers, especially through trade schools and partnerships.
Skilled trades (electricians, etc.) in massive demand—across energy and AI/data center domains.

Business Model & Economics

[19:24], [42:08], [43:07]

The Nuclear Company seeks to be an integrated developer—not just a consultant or vendor.
They aim for long-term equity participation, not just fees, creating alignment with utilities, manufacturers, and communities.
The company views lowering the cost of electricity and supporting US industry as central to its mission.

"Our culture is going to be driven at anybody that wants to partner with us. This design-once-build-many approach has to be the way that we get this off the ground…" — Julianne, [43:26]

Regulatory Landscape, NRC, and AI

[34:32], [37:40]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is not “the boogeyman” but is challenged by legacy data, tech debt, and a lack of prior build activity. The urgency of new demand is forcing reevaluation and modernization.
AI and software (in partnership with Palantir) will be used to digitize, integrate, and optimize development, compliance, and operations, reducing cost and time.

“There's so much data. We just need to dump it so that we don't have those hallucinations. And we're using it in a way to harness efficiency, reduce administrative burden...” — Julianne, [36:46]

Palantir Partnership & Nuclear Operating System

[37:40], [39:35]

$100M, 5-year partnership to build an integrated project management platform.
Enables predictive analytics, scheduling, supply chain management, early-risk prevention.
Platform intended to spread best practices and efficiency not only within The Nuclear Company’s projects but across the industry.
Partnership accelerates the company’s path “light years ahead” versus internal software development.

Political Outlook & Policy Risk

[44:15]

Bipartisan support for nuclear at federal and state level is strong; moratoriums lifting across US.
Julianne is optimistic about continued momentum, emerging from both understanding and necessity.

Nuclear Waste

[45:34]

The public often misconstrues the problem (“Simpsons goo” stereotype).
Actual nuclear waste is just "spent" (not fully depleted) fuel, stored for now safely above ground in concrete casks.
US lags France and others on recycling/reprocessing; Julianne advocates for US investment in recycling infrastructure for “used” fuel.

US Nuclear as Export & Geopolitical Tool

[47:18]

Global demand to quadruple nuclear—newcomer nations need partners and technology.
China and Russia are aggressively exporting tech, creating dependencies via financing and fuel takeback (often without weapons safeguards).
US tech requires 123 Agreement for non-proliferation; Julianne cites this as vital for both security and global leadership.

“If we don't do that, China and Russia… are going to create these massive dependencies… and they are not having to say, hey, Russia and China, you actually can come in my backyard and build nuclear… and they don't know if they're enriching uranium for weapons purposes. That's a whole different world.” — Julianne, [47:18]

Hyperscalers, Data Centers, and Power Demand

[50:46]

AI/data center providers (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta) have shifted from renewable-centric to becoming vocal supporters and potential co-investors in nuclear.
Realizing the scale and timing for their power needs, they're increasingly willing to take on development and even construction risk in nuclear projects, both at large and SMR/micro grid scale.

“I'm talking to all of them and you're seeing them say, hey, my energy demands are literally going to go through the roof in the next two to three years. I don't know where that's going to come from. Nuclear, you're telling me it's going to take five to 10 years. What can I do to help you? They're talking about development capital, they're talking about taking… construction risk…” — Julianne, [50:46]

The Future: Building a Movement

[54:21]

Julianne underscores a need to humanize nuclear—linking it to local, high-paying jobs, community security, and US leadership.
The Nuclear Company has produced a "Nuclear Frontier" documentary, premiering September 15th, to support public education and workforce recruitment, followed by a national bus tour.

“I welcome it. … That is the nature of this industry. … We decided to do a documentary… because … we haven’t humanized it, we haven’t explained truly the benefits and what it means.” — Julianne, [53:12]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Generational Attitude Change:
“Not in my backyard is shifting to nuclear in my backyard.” — Julianne, [08:19]
On the Real Issue:
“We don’t have a technology problem... What we have is a build problem.” — Julianne, [12:58]
On NRC & Regulation:
“I don’t think they’re the boogeyman. ... But just like all of us, we’re going to have to think about things differently so that we can build as quickly as possible if we’re going to win this AI arms race.” — Julianne, [34:45]
On Opportunity:
“If China wins manufacturing like they did, nuclear like they’re going to, and then AI — we are going to become so reliant on them. And that’s what keeps us up at night.” — Julianne, [12:58]
On Waste:
“Public perception is nuclear waste is what they see on the Simpsons. ... It is the most highly accounted for, inventoried, safe and actually we don't put it in the ground. We put it right above the ground on like a football size field…” — Julianne, [45:34]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[00:00] Introduction, stakes of US nuclear and global competition
[02:55] Julianne’s background: unlikely path into nuclear
[05:28] U.S. Women in Nuclear: advocacy and workforce
[08:19] Community attitudes, NIMBY to “Nuclear in my backyard”
[09:33] Three “waves” in US nuclear
[12:58] National security, US vs. China and cost dynamics
[15:11] The Vogtle case study: what went wrong/right
[17:54] New “fleet scale” model and benefits
[21:09] Breaking down the cost pie: focus on project delivery, not reactor tech
[22:46] Workforce challenges and trade pipeline
[24:03] Project types: upgrade, restarts, extensions
[28:46] Multiple reactor designs at a single site
[31:46] Executive team backgrounds: blends nuclear veterans and disruptors
[34:32] NRC and regulatory evolution, AI potential
[37:40] Palantir partnership for project delivery AI operating system
[42:08] Business model: from consulting to equity
[44:15] Political support and risk assessment
[45:34] Nuclear waste realities and solutions
[47:18] US nuclear as a global tool
[50:46] Hyperscalers and energy demand
[53:12] Documentary and public engagement

Episode Takeaways

The US faces an existential energy supply challenge as demand skyrockets; nuclear is back in the spotlight as a reliable, clean base load option.
The Nuclear Company focuses on execution, not basic science: using proven reactor designs, fleet scale deployment, and AI-powered delivery to tackle the complex “soft costs” that have stalled US progress.
Attitudes toward nuclear are shifting as communities, industry, and policy leaders recognize the intertwined issues of energy security, economic growth, and climate action.
Modernizing regulation, digitizing processes, and recruiting a new workforce are as vital as any technological advance.
With global rivals racing ahead, the US has a window to reclaim nuclear leadership—but only if it transforms the way projects are developed and delivered.

AI’s Power Gap and Nuclear’s Return with The Nuclear Company

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Summary

Inevitable (An MCJ Podcast)

Episode: AI’s Power Gap and Nuclear’s Return with The Nuclear Company

Main Theme & Purpose

Personal Journey of Julianne Edwards

The Nuclear Company’s Unique Approach

Industry Context and Historical Waves

Community Perception & NIMBY Shift

U.S. Women in Nuclear

Lessons from the Vogtle Project

Current Project Pathways: Upgrades, Restarts, Extensions

Nuclear Workforce & Skills

Business Model & Economics

Regulatory Landscape, NRC, and AI

Palantir Partnership & Nuclear Operating System

Political Outlook & Policy Risk

Nuclear Waste

US Nuclear as Export & Geopolitical Tool

Hyperscalers, Data Centers, and Power Demand

The Future: Building a Movement

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Episode Takeaways

Summary

Inevitable (An MCJ Podcast)

Episode: AI’s Power Gap and Nuclear’s Return with The Nuclear Company

Main Theme & Purpose

Personal Journey of Julianne Edwards

The Nuclear Company’s Unique Approach

Industry Context and Historical Waves

Community Perception & NIMBY Shift

U.S. Women in Nuclear

Lessons from the Vogtle Project

Current Project Pathways: Upgrades, Restarts, Extensions

Nuclear Workforce & Skills

Business Model & Economics

Regulatory Landscape, NRC, and AI

Palantir Partnership & Nuclear Operating System

Political Outlook & Policy Risk

Nuclear Waste

US Nuclear as Export & Geopolitical Tool

Hyperscalers, Data Centers, and Power Demand

The Future: Building a Movement

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Episode Takeaways