In this episode of Energy Newsbeat – Conversations in Energy, host Stu Turley sits down with Dr. Gene Nelson of Californians for Green Nuclear Power and the “Green Nuke” Substack to unpack how anti-nuclear ideology and California’s Public Utilities Commission are ignoring basic physics and economics. Dr. Nelson explains why overreliance on solar, wind, and batteries makes grids brittle—citing the April 28 blackout in Spain and idle nuclear plants taxed to prop up renewables—while nuclear delivers cheap, reliable, 24/7 power with strong safety records and massive “synchronous inertia” for heavy loads like California’s water system.

They dig into Diablo Canyon’s real-world performance and safety culture, debunk nuclear fearmongering, highlight the hidden costs, land use, waste, and subsidies behind wind and solar, and connect these policies to deindustrialization in places like Germany and California. Throughout, Dr. Nelson shares his on-the-ground advocacy, from farmers’ markets to PUC hearings, arguing that embracing nuclear is essential for energy reliability, national security, and an honest path forward on emissions.

Due to Gavin Newsom’s energy policies, California and the entire West Coast of the United States are facing one of the most significant national security threats you can experience. And that is an energy crisis on a self-imposed path of Net Zero and the elimination of nuclear and fossil fuels. Well, they wanted to take atomic power down with those same policies, and it just does not make sense to shut down the other nuclear reactors in the name of clean energy.

As for the war on fossil fuels, they executed that war too well, and they got what they wanted, only to see the oil companies go out of business or leave the West Coast. Now Californians will have to import more than 70% of their oil, including gasoline and diesel. And there will be more tankers off the California coast, causing ecological damage and potential accidents.

Dr. Gene Nelson brings up some critical points about wind and solar power. It is based upon facts and physics. When driving on the highway vs. stop-and-go traffic, you use less gasoline and emit less. Well, the same thing applies to wind and solar on the grid: trying to put DC power from wind and solar into AC systems.

Thank you, Dr. Nelson, for your dedication to nuclear and clean power for California and the United States. I truly appreciate your efforts and your insights on this critical topic for California. - Stu 

Highlights of the Podcast

00:00 - Intro

1:24 – CPUC Issues and Bureaucratic Problems

4:24 – “We Don’t Need No Stinking Physics” Moment

6:50 – Spain–Portugal Blackout Explained

7:52 – Why Spain Idled Its Nuclear Plants

8:53 – Germany’s Nuclear Exit & Economic Decline

9:53 – Three Mile Island Reality vs Fear

10:49 – Nuclear Training, Simulators & Safety Culture

13:22 – Diablo Canyon Outage & Operator Preparedness

15:07 – Dr. Nelson’s Car Accident Story

16:40 – The Origin of the Green Headband

19:27 – Net Zero Myths & Real Grid Costs

21:57 – Solar, Wind & True LCOE+ Costs

22:59 – China’s Nuclear Expansion & Global Energy Shift

23:25 – Understanding Grid Inertia & Reliability

25:11 – California’s Massive Water Pumps & Power Needs

27:24 – How Renewables Raise Emissions & Wear Out Engines

29:18 – Inside Diablo Canyon: Turbines & Control Room

31:15 – Earthquake Simulation & Real-World Plant Response

32:27 – Why Diablo Canyon Is Built Like a Fortress

34:15 – Microreactors, New Fuel & Nuclear Innovation

37:32 – Nuclear Safety Compared to Wind Turbine Risks

39:03 – Land Use Problems: Solar & Wind Footprint

41:22 – Subsidies, Repowering & Hidden Costs

43:13 – Solar Waste, Toxic Panels & Recycling Issues

45:59 – EVs Powered Mostly by Fossil Fuels

47:22 – Imported Jet Fuel & “Green” Policy Contradictions

48:55 – Sinopec Dependence & Energy Security

50:03 – PUC Regulatory Capture & High Power Costs

52:04 – Media Narratives vs Energy Reality

53:21 – How to Contact Dr. Nelson & Support CGNP

57:42 – California’s Energy Crisis & National Security

58:56 – Final Thoughts, Thanks & Outro

We recommend subscribing to Dr. Nelson's GreenNuke Substack. 

https://greennuke.substack.com/

Full transcript on https://energynewsbeat.co/

Check out other discussions on https://theenergynewsbeat.substack.com/