Episode Details

Alina Voss from NX Atomics stops by the Energy News Beat Podcast

The title “The Math Ain't Mathing: Why America Needs Nuclear Now” was derived from a comment Alina made on the podcast. I was very impressed, and as we talked, she made some great points. I am going to follow up with her company and introduce them to some folks.

We need to have more nuclear reactors online tomorrow, and we need real solutions.

1. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and NX Atomics

The core focus of the conversation centers on NX Atomics’ development of small modular nuclear reactors. Key points include:

• NX Atomics aims to produce the cheapest SMRs on the market (targeting $20 per megawatt hour vs. $90 for traditional Gen 3 reactors)
• They’re targeting a prototype by 2030 and first-of-a-kind deployment in the early 2030s
• The company employs German nuclear engineers with 10-15 years of research background
• They’re using innovative 3D metal printing technology to manufacture reactor components more efficiently and affordably

2. Data Centers and Energy Demand

A significant discussion about the explosive growth of data centers and their energy requirements:

• Data centers are increasingly competing with farmland for space in the Midwest
• Texas ERCOT has 220 gigawatts of applications for new data center power, but only 54 gigawatts of peak capacity
• Data centers are using eminent domain to acquire land, displacing long-time residents
• SMRs and data centers are positioned as complementary solutions (”go together like PB&J”)

3. Nuclear Energy’s Public Perception and Marketing

Alina discusses the challenge of rebranding nuclear energy:

• Older generations associate nuclear with bombs and war
• Gen X often thinks of disasters (Three Mile Island, Fukushima, Chernobyl)
• Younger generations, especially men, are more pro-nuclear
• Living near a nuclear plant exposes you to less radiation than eating a banana annually
• Nuclear plants have high approval ratings among nearby residents

4. Energy Policy and Subsidies

Critical examination of current U.S. energy policies:

• Wind and solar have been artificially inflated by subsidies and can’t compete on their own merits
• Wind turbines last only 8 years; solar panels last ~15 years and 95% end up in landfills
• The farm bill subsidizes ethanol, which is counterproductive (takes more energy to produce than it yields)
• Ethanol damages vehicles and reduces fuel efficiency by ~4 miles per gallon
• The need to reform subsidies to support more sustainable, long-term energy solutions

5. Global Energy Competition and China

Discussion of geopolitical energy dynamics:

• China is rapidly expanding nuclear capacity (50+ reactors with 20+ more planned)
• The U.S. has 94 reactors and is falling behind
• IP theft and supply chain vulnerabilities are critical concerns
• Energy independence and dominance are central to future global competitiveness
• Secretary Chris Wright’s pro-nuclear stance is seen as crucial for U.S. energy policy

6. Transmission Infrastructure and Grid Challenges

The underlying infrastructure problem:

• Aging transmission infrastructure is a bottleneck for moving power from generation to demand
• This is a bigger issue than just generation capacity
• SMRs offer distributed generation that can bypass some transmission challenges

7. Regenerative Agriculture and Land Use

Brief but important discussion about sustainable farming:

• Current agricultural policies favor monoculture corn production with heavy chemical inputs
• Regenerative agriculture and sustainable land management are better for both economics and health
• The tension between subsidizing farmland for food vs. for energy production

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