The critical role of the states in the ongoing resurgence of nuclear power across America is the topic for this week's show. In this episode of Advanced Nuclear, the Official Podcast of UCAN Power, Kirsten Verclas and Kelsey Jones from the nonprofit National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) explore the roles of state energy offices, their collaboration with the Department of Energy and Congress, and the growing focus on nuclear energy in our country. The conversation highlights NASEO's Advanced Nuclear First Movers Initiative, where 11 states have banded together to catalyze new nuclear deployments, NASEO's work with other nuclear-focused organizations, and the importance of public-private partnerships in bringing advanced nuclear technologies to market.

This podcast is brought to you by the United Coalition for Advanced Nuclear Power (UCAN Power) Homepage - https://ucanpower.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ucanpower

In this episode of the Advanced Nuclear Podcast, Chris Ritter, a nationally-recognized leader in AI applications and the Director of the Digital Innovation Center of Excellence (DICE) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), explores how AI can enhance the design, licensing, and operation of nuclear technologies, particularly through the use of digital twins—virtual models that mirror physical assets. Chris shares his journey to INL, the establishment of DICE, the challenges and future prospects of AI supporting the nuclear industry, and the potential for significant improvements in reactor efficiency, remote operations, and licensing efficiency. The discussion also covers the use of multiple AI programs and the importance of human oversight in AI applications.

Chris Ritter is the division director of scientific computing & AI and director of the Digital Innovation Center of Excellence at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). His team of ~100 computational and data scientists are changing the world’s future with AI/ML, digital twinning, digital engineering, multi-physics, HPC, and digital thread technologies across a portfolio of nuclear energy, non-proliferation, semiconductor, and defense applications.

Chris founded INL's nationally leading digital engineering team which grew from 0 to over ~57 of the nation’s top researchers and developers in digital science. His team led the first nuclear reactor digital twin, built the Deep Lynx open digital thread platform, developed the first autonomous non-nuclear microreactor, and is actively building multiple petabyte-scale digital thread platforms. Additionally, he co-president of Newcomers in Leadership and Chief Digital Officer of SMART USA. Prior to INL, Chris co-founded and led development of the #1 cloud-native MBSE tool, Innoslate, used in 107 counties across 2,000 companies around the world.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI in Advanced Nuclear

02:00 Chris Ritter's Journey to INL

04:00 The Creation of DICE at INL

07:11 Understanding Digital Twins

10:49 Accuracy and Applications of Digital Twins

16:02 Future Work and Innovations in Digital Twins

18:06 Reducing Risk and Optimizing Performance with AI

22:37 Barriers to Entry in Nuclear Technology

23:38 Current State of AI Adoption in Nuclear

26:25 The Role of AI in Reactor Design

32:57 AI in Licensing and Regulatory Processes

36:34 Future of AI in Reactor Operations and Design

This podcast is brought to you by the United Coalition for Advanced Nuclear Power (UCAN Power) Homepage - UCAN Power - United Coalition for Advanced Nuclear Power

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ucanpower

In this episode of the Advanced Nuclear podcast, host Jim Howe speaks with Jarret Adams, founder and CEO of Full On Communications, about the importance of effective external and internal communications in the nuclear industry. They discuss the need for clear and consistent messaging to engage communities, address public misconceptions, and promote the benefits of nuclear power. Adams emphasizes the inseparable nature of communications and business strategy, the importance of transparency, the challenges faced by new nuclear startups, and the evolving landscape of nuclear energy amid geopolitical changes and technological advancements. The conversation also touches on the significance of branding and the recent pledge to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050.

Jarret has more than 25 years of international experience in corporate communications. He created Full On to help the nuclear energy sector tell its story better. He previously worked at AREVA, where he served as Vice President of Communications and Director of Media Relations and Online Communications. He has also served as a Senior Communications Consultant for the U.S. Nuclear Energy Institute.

Prior to creating Full On Communications, Jarret was a Director of Communications for an international public relations agency based in the United Arab Emirates and focusing on the clean energy sector. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds an MBA from the George Washington University. He also attended the Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme, a graduate school of journalism, in France.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Advanced Nuclear Power

03:05 Jared Adams: Background and Philosophy

05:58 The Importance of Effective Communication

09:01 Engaging Communities on Nuclear Power

12:02 Navigating Public Perception and Misconceptions

15:01 Challenges for New Nuclear Startups

17:48 Cost and Efficiency in Nuclear Energy

20:54 Avoiding Communication Pitfalls

24:09 Branding and Messaging in Nuclear

26:48 Geopolitical and Technological Changes

29:57 Documentary: Nuclear Resurgence

32:59 The Tripling Nuclear Power by 2050 Pledge

34:10 Key Takeaways and Future Outlook