Today's episode explores three ideas that caught my attention:

* AI is Transforming Nuclear Too - The possibility of applying AI tools to parse 4,500-page regulatory documents represents a breakthrough in addressing one of nuclear's biggest bottlenecks - regulatory compliance.

* Falling Demand Drove Nuclear's Decline in the Late 1970s, Not 3 Mile Island - Rod's point about nuclear orders stopping in 1974—five years before Three Mile Island—due to falling electricity demand growth challenges the standard narrative. Reduced energy consumption, not safety concerns, actually killed the first nuclear boom.

* Don't Call It a Comeback - When Rod pointed out that historians can't agree within 50 years when the actual Renaissance began, it reframed today's "nuclear renaissance" conversation. Perhaps 2005-2008 was not the “false start” that many consider it to be, but rather the early stages of a much longer transition.

I explore these ideas and more with Rod Adams, Managing Partner at Nucleation Capital.

Rod Adams brings over three decades of nuclear industry experience spanning military operations, entrepreneurship, and investment. As a former submarine engineer who lived alongside an operational reactor for years, he gained firsthand experience with nuclear technology's remarkable potential and safety record. In 1993, well ahead of current market trends, he founded Adams Atomic Engines—one of the first companies focused on small modular reactor development. His deep technical background extends beyond operations to the complex regulatory and financial landscape of nuclear energy, having served as a requirements officer working on Navy nuclear power program budgeting and financing.

Today, as managing partner at Nucleation Capital, Rod combines his operational expertise with investment acumen to shape the next generation of nuclear technology companies. He's also the publisher of Atomic Insights and host of the Atomic Show podcast, platforms he's used for nearly 30 years to explore the intersection of nuclear technology, policy, and market dynamics. This combination of hands-on experience, entrepreneurial vision, and investment perspective gives him unique insight into both the technical and commercial challenges facing advanced nuclear innovation.

During our conversation, Rod shares:

* Why the oil and gas talent migration to nuclear matters, including specific examples of how drilling expertise is revolutionizing the possibilities for waste storage

* Why Texas and many other states aim to become a global nuclear leader, and

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