Ep15: Inside Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant | BG2 w/ Bill Gurley & Brad Gerstner

Open Source bi-weekly convo w/ Bill Gurley and Brad Gerstner on all things tech, markets, investing & capitalism. This week they sit down with Maureen Zawalick (Vice President at Diablo Canyon Power Plant) to discuss the importance of nuclear power, the history and future of Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the role of AI in the nuclear industry, the cost differential of nuclear energy in the US and China, Gen 4 reactors, regulation, litigation, & more. Enjoy another episode of BG2.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(04:14) Maureen Zawalick | VP at Diablo Canyon

(06:13) The Need for Diablo

(10:07) The Importance of Nuclear Power

(15:50) License Renewal and the Future of Diablo

(18:39) Hope for Expanding Nuclear Power

(25:22) Nuclear Waste

(30:29) Cost Differential: US vs China

(38:56) Factors Contributing to Cost Differential

(45:07) Implications of China’s Nuclear Leadership

(47:42) Nuclear Energy and AI Supremacy

(50:58) The Innovation Gap and Gen 4 Reactors

(57:27) Overcoming Challenges

(01:03:45) A Call for Government Support

Available on Apple, Spotify, www.bg2pod.com

Follow:

Brad Gerstner @altcap https://x.com/altcap

Bill Gurley @bgurley https://x.com/bgurley

BG2 Pod @bg2pod https://x.com/BG2Pod

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Shownotes:

US Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program 2020

ITIF.org - How Innovative Is China in Nuclear Power

NYTimes - Nuclear Power Can Save the World

Reuters - Constellation talking to Pennsylvania on Three Mile Island restart

Julie Dewahl - Nuclear Past Present Future

Breakthrough Institute - China’s Impressive Rate of Nuclear Construction

Next Big Future - US Nuclear Cost 5-10x More Than China

Energy.gov - Newly Signed Bill to Boost Nuclear

Advanced Nuclear - Nuclear Commercial Liftoff

LA Times - Loan to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear plant open

South Korea Builds Nuclear Plants Quickly and Cheaply

Nuclear Power in South Korea

Westinghouse Electric's Chinese 'Trojan Horse'

Friends of the Earth sues DOE over Billion Dollar Award to Diablo Canyon

Revitalizing America’s Nuclear Energy Supply Chain

Idaho Natl Laboratory - Recommendations to Improve the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Reactor Licensing and Approval Process