The Oppenheimer Project [WNS Special] Critical Mass Episode 14
Our special series from World Nuclear Symposium 2026 continues with a conversation about a very different force shaping nuclear’s future: philanthropy.Karen Pak Oppenheimer, Co-Executive Director of the Oppenheimer Project, joins Critical Mass to discuss how the legacy of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer can inform today’s nuclear debate. At the heart of the organisation’s work is a simple idea: global cooperation is essential if nuclear technology is to realise its peaceful potential.Karen explains why philanthropy can help convene conversations that governments, industry and investors cannot always lead alone. Through the Oppenheimer Dialogues and a new global coalition for nuclear philanthropy, the project is bringing together funders, experts and the “nuclear curious.”The conversation explores four priorities: building the case for nuclear, growing institutional and workforce capacity, making projects bankable, and strengthening governance as more countries consider nuclear programmes. We also examine nuclear’s potential role in tackling energy poverty and why reliable power could become an important part of economic development.🎙️ LISTEN 👇Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/critical-mass/id1874299043Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hROVvv9BoJnzsYZVPpKVTWebsite:All Socials: https://linktr.ee/criticalmassio #nuclearenergy #cleanenergy #renewableenergy #energycrisis #climatechange
9 Oct 2026
From nuclear ambition to nuclear capacity [WNS Special] Critical Mass Episode 13
This special episode launches our series of interviews recorded at World Nuclear Symposium 2026, bringing together conversations with leaders shaping the next chapter of the nuclear industry.In this episode, Boris Schucht, CEO of Urenco, joins Critical Mass to discuss whether nuclear can scale fast enough to meet rising electricity demand and what has to change across the fuel cycle to make that possible. He argues that nuclear and renewables should be viewed as complementary. As renewable penetration grows, transmission, distribution and balancing costs become increasingly important, making total system costs the critical measure. The conversation highlights the forces driving nuclear’s resurgence: decarbonization, energy independence and rapidly growing electricity demand, including from AI. Boris explains why political clarity is essential for investment in enrichment capacity and why uncertainty over supply remains a significant challenge for western markets. We explore the emerging HALEU supply chain and the investment needed to support advanced reactors.All themes combined, reveal why the next phase of nuclear growth will depend not only on reactors, but on fuel, policy, financing and execution developing in parallel.🎙️ LISTEN 👇Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljRXNTcUkwcm1EenhKYjJtZDJFQ28yOXxBSTVJdTV1OEJTNmV6dzQtbHpQbnVPVVoxLU9JQkpkR09sRHFicEkxSjYxNG16cjFMZVZqdk45UjV1VEVTWTNzSXpJVXJHX1VFcmVTZHBfMW81UWtpUzZydEtFZWN4bzZjRE5S&q=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fcritical-mass%2Fid1874299043&v=NwruNImtloE)Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hROVvv... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljRmQweUsxSHBrcTdwRUFFb2Qxdy02RXxBSTVJdTV1ejBlelMxMHJZZ1JpekZ0cXNTalVFa2FLUzh1RGh5UEgxdGppSGM2bjl0bnBtVE5pSUMyR2hqWm9aMHVJSVlsY2t2LXVrZmRlaTRzcGpDNkFZQ0tLYkhOZFoyUzQ5&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F0hROVvv9BoJnzsYZVPpKVT&v=NwruNImtloE)Website:All Socials: https://linktr.ee/criticalmassio (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljR3REYS03UlV4cFBxUnUxVDNsZ0s0b3xBSTVJdTV1Vjl6aU9lVHEtS0NtSnpUMU9JLWJ0X2dZQWwyZFREb0JMZTF2eEVkaTVJa2hjUm53YnhweG1HbVNYeWt1LXNrclo0Y3ZzcXd5b2MzQjZ3MkZFRS1tQlU2ZjBnNjVn&q=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2Fcriticalmassio&v=NwruNImtloE) #nuclearenergy (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/nuclearenergy) #cleanenergy (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/cleanenergy) #renewableenergy (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/renewableenergy) #energycrisis (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/energycrisis) #climatechange (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/climatechange)
21 Sept 2026
The new power economy - the grid and compute
What if the biggest constraint on the AI boom isn’t generating enough electricity, but getting that power through the grid?In Episode 12, Andrii Garanin, Co-founder of the Silicon Foundation and Chief Energy and Infrastructure Officer of its Raw Protocol division, joins Critical Mass to explore how AI, data centres and rising electricity demand are reshaping the energy system.Andrii argues that nuclear’s predictable baseload generation makes it particularly well suited to the constant power requirements of data centres. But as demand accelerates, grid capacity could become one of the most significant bottlenecks to future growth.We also explore the potential commoditisation of compute. Andrii discusses how operational data and blockchain infrastructure could help standardise compute as an investable product, and whether similar models could bring greater transparency and participation to nuclear assets and uranium.As AI drives new electricity demand, the episode explores how nuclear power, grid infrastructure, compute and financial innovation may increasingly converge.🎙️ LISTEN 👇Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/critical-mass/id1874299043Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hROVvv9BoJnzsYZVPpKVTWebsite:All Socials: https://linktr.ee/criticalmassio #nuclearenergy #cleanenergy #renewableenergy #energycrisis #climatechange
29 Aug 2026
The triangle of trust in the age of energy expansion | Critical Mass EP. 11
Peter Bryant, Board Chair of Clareo, discusses the "Triangle of Trust" framework for navigating energy expansion challenges and building community support for resource development.
7 Aug 2026
Grid Electrification: The Scale Problem Nobody's Talking About | Critical Mass Episode 10
Host David G. Victor interviews Senior Energy Economist Gerben Hieminga about the immense scale challenges and necessary innovations for global grid electrification to achieve net zero.
28 Jul 2026
How To Manufacture nuclear energy at scale
Host Alex Thompson interviews James Walker, CEO at Nano Nuclear Energy, about manufacturing nuclear energy at scale using modular microreactors for reliable power solutions.
7 Jul 2026
Beyond the Reactor - The waste, risk, and opportunity
Host [Host Name] interviews nuclear energy expert Brett Rampal about the critical role of used fuel management in scaling nuclear power and transforming waste into economic opportunity.
23 Jun 2026
The Fatal Trifecta | Critical Mass Episode 7
Host [Host Name] interviews author Meredith Anguin about the "fatal trifecta" of energy market vulnerabilities and how to rebuild grid reliability.
11 Jun 2026
Cyclical to Structural | Critical Mass Episode 6
Crispin Clarke, Strategic Advisor at Curzon Uranium, discusses with the host how nuclear fuel markets are transforming from cyclical commodity dynamics to a structural investment theme.
18 May 2026
When does reality bend ideologies? | Critical Mass Episode 5
Host Daniel Yergin interviews Mark Mills, author and Executive Director of the National Center for Energy Analytics, about how AI's surging electricity demand is reshaping global energy infrastructure and markets.
25 Mar 2026
Applying moderation in convictions
Arthur Breitman, co-founder of Tezos, discusses how tokenized uranium and AI accelerate change, exploring uranium's potential as an asset class and the critical role of education in this interview.
9 Mar 2026
Cautiously optimistic about nuclear
Ashutosh Shastri, Master Fueller, discusses nuclear energy's role in the transition, regulatory reforms, and market dynamics with the host.
24 Feb 2026
The answer to climate problems?
Host [Host Name] interviews Lucien Pugliaresi, President at the Energy Policy Research Foundation, exploring how scale, efficiency, and integration offer pragmatic solutions to climate challenges.
11 Feb 2026
Tripling global nuclear capacity
In this episode, we sit down with Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, to unpack the landmark declaration signed by 33 countries to scale nuclear power. We explore how public opinion on nuclear energy is shifting, why today’s nuclear renaissance looks different from past cycles, and what’s driving renewed momentum across global markets.
From the role of small modular reactors (SMRs) versus large-scale reactors, to the regions moving fastest and the policies accelerating change, this conversation cuts through the noise to examine nuclear’s next chapter.
3 Feb 2026
Introducing Critical Mass
In-depth conversations with experts, thought leaders, and innovators across nuclear energy, global geopolitics, and markets.
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Peter Bryant
Gerben Hieminga
James Walker
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Meredith Anguin
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