KITE & KEY MEDIA: Nuclear is the power source of the future … and it has been for about 50 years. Could this time be different? In 1967, America expected to operate 1,000 nuclear power plants by the year 2000. But today, the actual number is just 54. What happened? For decades, nuclear energy was subject to (usually incorrect) fears about its safety. Lately, however, those fears are fading. Support for nuclear is nearing an all-time high. And there are understandable reasons for that. A single uranium pellet generates as much energy as 120 gallons of oil or a ton of coal. And we’re going to need a lot of power. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the world will use as much as 75% more electricity by the year 2050, partially because of the demands of energy-intensive technologies like AI. That’s why many tech companies are now leading the charge to develop new nuclear resources. It’s also the case that nuclear is the most viable technology to both provide abundant energy and reduce carbon emissions. In fact, in places like Japan and New York the closure of nuclear plants – despite being touted as an environmental victory – has actually led to increased carbon emissions. And because nuclear is reliable, environmentally friendly, and increasingly popular, you can understand why there’s a surge in its development. About 70 nuclear reactors are under construction around the world. But here’s the catch: None of them are in the U.S.
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