🕵️Google Explores Nuclear

Welcome to Nuclear Update! It’s that time of the week to get glowing with the latest and greatest from the nuclear world.

This is what we got for you this week:

• 🕵️Google Explores Nuclear

• ⚠️Germany Keeps Sabotaging Nuclear Energy in Europe

• 👏Japan’s Economy Minister Pushes for Nuclear Reactor Restarts

• ♻️No More Waste? New Reactor Fueled by Nuclear Waste

🕵️Google Explores Nuclear

Following in the footsteps of Microsoft, Oracle, OpenAI, and Amazon Web Services, Google is now exploring the use of nuclear energy to power its data centers as part of its plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. In an interview, CEO Sundar Pichai discussed the company’s increasing energy needs.

AI, particularly image generation, consumes significantly more electricity than traditional searches, which has contributed to a 48% increase in Google’s greenhouse gas emissions since 2019. Despite this, Google remains committed to its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030.

To address these challenges, the company has increased its capital expenditure by 90% in 2024 to support its AI and cloud computing efforts. Pichai acknowledged the difficulty of balancing AI growth with environmental goals but emphasized the transformative potential of AI technology.

⚠️Germany Keeps Sabotaging Nuclear Energy in Europe

German Economy State Secretary Sven Giegold, speaking on September 30, urged the European Commission to prioritize massive investments in renewables while taking a tough stance on nuclear power.

Laying out priorities for the EU’s upcoming Clean Industrial Deal, he called for the exclusion of nuclear energy from all EU funding.

Giegold also proposed setting more ambitious renewable and energy efficiency targets for 2040, while continuing to exclude nuclear power from the EU's energy transition strategy. His stance reflects Germany's desire to focus solely on renewable sources for ensuring affordability and competitiveness for the European economy.

👏Japan’s Economy Minister Pushes for Nuclear Reactor Restarts

Japan’s new economy minister, Yoji Muto, has called for maximizing the use of existing nuclear power plants to meet growing electricity demand.

He outlined plans to restart as many nuclear reactors as possible, provided they meet safety standards, continuing the policies of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who pushed Japan toward nuclear energy after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Although current Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba initially campaigned to reduce reliance on nuclear energy, he later expressed support for restarting existing plants.

Japan's nuclear industry has been gradually recovering since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, with 12 out of 33 reactors now operational. Kashiwazaki Kariwa, the world’s largest nuclear plant, remains offline but could be restarted. In 2022, nuclear power generated only 6.1% of Japan's electricity.

♻️No More Waste? New Reactor Fueled by Nuclear Waste

Moltex Energy Canada has published research confirming that its Stable Salt Reactor - Wasteburner (SSR-W) can consume used nuclear fuel, significantly reducing nuclear waste while producing clean energy.

The reactor’s design allows for continuous recycling and consumption of transuranic elements from conventional nuclear reactor fuel, significantly reducing the volume, radiotoxicity, and heat generation of the remaining waste compared to traditional reactors.

The research concludes that the SSR-W can eliminate 425 kg of actinides— the most long-lived and radiotoxic elements in nuclear waste—annually, fully closing the nuclear fuel cycle by recycling end-of-life core loads.

Moltex plans to deploy the first SSR-W by the early 2030s.

⚛️Nuclear Nuggets

A new survey has shown that more than half of the Swiss population supports the government's plan to remove the country's ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants.

The Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, has closed a $1.5 billion loan to restart operation, as first reactor restart in U.S. history.

US DoE Launches $100 Million Nuclear Safety Training and Workforce Development Program. Job growth in the U.S. nuclear energy sector is projected to triple by 2050

Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev calls nuclear referendum turning point for nation’s progress.

The United States has resumed nuclear warhead production by successfully creating its first plutonium pit in 35 years.

😂Meme of the Week

💪Review of the Week

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research