# The U.S. nuclear groundswell

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2025-05-09
- Length: 38m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell

## Summary

Chris Colbert, CEO of Elementl Power, discusses the company's recent partnership with Google to develop three nuclear projects totaling 1.8 gigawatts, aiming to drive down costs through serial deployment rather than one-off builds. He contrasts this current groundswell, driven by hyperscaler demand and corporate PPAs, with the failed 2000s nuclear renaissance, noting that utilities cannot absorb the development risk. Colbert outlines a technology-agnostic strategy, waiting for light water and advanced reactor designs to mature, while emphasizing that labor availability and site selection are critical factors for successful execution.

## Chapters

- [3:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=191) Introduction: Chris Colbert and Elementl Power's Google Deal
- [5:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=317) The Nuclear Renaissance: Why This Time Is Different
- [8:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=494) Corporate Offtake: Hyperscalers Taking Development Risk
- [11:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=692) Supplier Landscape: Technology-Agnostic Strategy
- [16:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=985) Regulatory Environment and Licensing Timelines
- [20:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=1210) The Role of Utilities and Risk Transfer
- [26:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=1571) Project Development: From Customer to Site Selection
- [32:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=1968) Cost Reduction: Repeatability and Labor Management
- [36:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell#t=2170) Timeline and Cost Projections for New Nuclear

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Certification & compliance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/certification-and-compliance)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Elementl Power (company)
- Google (company)
- NuScale Power (company)
- Vogtle (product)
- TerraPower (company)
- Big Rock Point (product)
- Three Mile Island (product)
- Palisades (product)
- Ontario Power Generation (company)
- Dominion (company)
- Duke Energy (company)
- TVA (company)
- AEP (company)
- Holtec (company)
- Energy Impact Partners (company)
- Latitude Media (company)
- Anza (company)
- EnergyHub (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 90: TSMC/ASML Earnings Signals, X86 Consortium, Nuclear Trending](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-10-24-episode-90-tsmc-asml-earnings-signals-x86-consortium-nuclear-trending) (The Circuit)
- [Bridgit Mendler and Griffin Cleverly talk about building scalable ground stations for satellite networks; cyberattacks on automakers, lead in protein powder; look back at the 1986 Challenger disaster](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/go-no-go/2025-10-27-bridgit-mendler-and-griffin-cleverly-talk-about-building-scalable-ground-station) (Go/No-Go)
- [Igniting the Future: Fusion Power and the Road to Clean Energy with Scott Mercer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-04-10-igniting-the-future-fusion-power-and-the-road-to-clean-energy-with-scott-mercer) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [From Solar’s 90% Cost Crash to AI’s Energy Surge: The Economics Driving Climate Tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-09-16-from-solars-90-cost-crash-to-ais-energy-surge-the-economics-driving-climate-tech) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Ep 160: More good News for Intel, AI Model Trends, Future of Datacenter](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2026-04-13-ep-160-more-good-news-for-intel-ai-model-trends-future-of-datacenter) (The Circuit)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-09-the-u-s-nuclear-groundswell. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.