☢️ Going Nuclear

Why We're Finally Shedding the Stigma — Plus, Could Sam Altman Eventually Become the CEO of Apple?

Author

Katie Perry
June 07, 2025

Welcome to Tuesday Thursday Saturday! I share a snapshot of trending stories across business, tech, and culture three times a week. Subscribe and tell me what you want to hear about next! - KP

The Big Story: Why America is Going Nuclear

I bet you guys thought this one was going to be about Trump and Elon’s public cat fight! However, I am here today to discuss nuclear energy. It’s been coming up a bunch on our daily markets show, and I’ve had some friends asking me about it.

Why is everyone talking about nuclear energy again? Isn’t it kind of … dangerous? And didn’t we cancel it back in the ’70s?

Turns out, nuclear is very much back in the chat. And depending on how fast AI continues to evolve — and how committed we are to decarbonizing the grid — it may be the only viable energy option we’ve got. Let’s get into it.

The story starts post–World War II. After the U.S. government saw how powerful atomic energy could be, they pivoted to “Atoms for Peace,” trying to rebrand the tech from something destructive to something promising. In 1951, a small experimental reactor in Idaho became the first to generate electricity from nuclear fission. A few years later, the first commercial plant opened in Pennsylvania.

Atoms for Peace stamp (1955)

By the late 1960s and early ’70s, nuclear was taking off. There was a kind of techno-optimism in the air. Over 50 plants were either active or in the works. It was seen as clean (zero emissions!) and futuristic (Star Wars!). But then came the pushback.

A confluence of factors, both rational and emotional, sparked an anti-nuclear movement in the U.S. Environmentalists were concerned about radioactive waste. Communities near proposed plants worried about accidents. Trust in government and corporations was low (Vietnam, Watergate, etc.), and the idea of a giant nuclear plant in your backyard didn’t exactly feel great.

Then came the Three Mile Island incident in 1979. No one died, but a partial meltdown at the Pennsylvania plant spooked the nation. The cultural response was swift: enter the No Nukes movement. My man Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt all performed at Madison Square Garden, drawing national attention to the cause.

For decades, it mostly disappeared from the mainstream energy conversation.

Until now. We’re in a different world, one where climate change is front and center, electricity demand is skyrocketing, and new technologies like AI and quantum computing are sucking up more energy than ever before.

Here’s the thing: wind and solar are amazing, but they’re imperfect. You can’t rely on them 24/7 without massive storage infrastructure, which we don’t fully have yet. Fossil fuels are a no-go if we want to meet climate goals. Nuclear, though? It runs day and night. It’s clean. And the tech has gotten safer, smaller, and smarter.

A report from the International Energy Agency found that global nuclear capacity needs to double by 2050 to hit net-zero targets. The U.S., which already produces more nuclear electricity than any other country, is starting to lean in.

States like Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York are leading the pack. In upstate New York, around Oswego County (where my family is from!) you’ll find plants like Nine Mile Point and FitzPatrick still cranking out zero-emission power. They’re keeping the lights on while helping New York hit its climate targets.

But perhaps more pressing than even the climate conversation — at least to many — is the astronomical energy demand of AI. Companies building large language models, running data centers, and developing quantum computing need consistent, high-capacity electricity. You can’t have your supercomputer go down because it’s cloudy in Arizona. Nuclear offers the baseload power that AI requires.

Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are reportedly eyeing small modular reactors (SMRs) as possible energy solutions for their data centers. These aren’t your grandfather’s nuclear plants, either. They’re smaller, cheaper, and theoretically easier to deploy. Still early, but the interest is real. Just days ago, Meta signed a 20-year contract with Constellation Energy.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about how the proliferation of nuclear energy sources will impact cybersecurity. Nuclear sites are high-risk, high-reward assets, and therefore, a prime target for attacks. These locations are heavily regulated and physically secure, but as they adopt more digital controls and sensors, they also become vulnerable to cyberattacks.

One recent example is Stuxnet, the virus that took down Iran’s centrifuges back in 2010. That was a wake-up call. The idea that code could cause real-world nuclear damage? Terrifying, and very possible.

In the U.S., the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC, has enforced strict cybersecurity requirements under 10 CFR 73.54. All plants must segment critical systems (air-gapping), monitor network traffic, and run regular audits. Agencies like CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) and DOE’s CESER division help coordinate national protections. But the threat surface is growing, especially if we build out more plants. So, as we scale nuclear, we also need to think about digital resilience.

Here are a few cybersecurity players with offerings designed to protect nuclear sites. Please note that just because a company is building in a market with a growing TAM does NOT mean they will succeed. Look at their financial statements, leadership comments, and product roadmap notes before making any decisions.

  • Palo Alto Networks: Offers firewalls and AI threat detection platforms that support segmentation of control networks in critical infrastructure. $PANW ( ▲ 1.99% )  

    • Up more than 30% since June 2024

  • Fortinent: Provides secure operational technology (OT) networking tools and Industrial Control Systems-specific cybersecurity appliances that help defend industrial assets from attacks. $FTNT ( ▲ 0.91% )  

    • Up more than 70% since June 2024

  • CrowdStrike: Popular cyber stock that is better known for its endpoint protection. Its Falcon platform, however, uses real-time threat detection that is utilized by critical infrastructure operators. $CRWD ( ▲ 2.64% )  

    • Up more than 45% since June 2024

  • Tenable Holdings: Known for vulnerability scanning and asset visibility across complex OT environments, which is important legacy tech in nuclear plants. $TENB ( ▲ 1.48% )  

    • Down 25% since June 2024 due to slower enterprise spending and competitive pressures.

  • Dragos: This one is privately held, so you’d need to get in on a secondary sale. They are a leading name in ICS-specific cybersecurity that is often cited in government contracts.

We’re at a weird, high-stakes intersection, especially if you were around when nuclear energy was all but cancelled. But it’s 2025 and nuclear is back. Power demand is exploding. And suddenly, this old, somewhat radioactive technology looks like the best option we’ve got.

Nuclear’s not perfect. It’s expensive, takes years to build, and still carries a stigma. But it’s clean, consistent, and surprisingly well-suited for the era we’re heading into.

So no, this wasn’t about Trump or Elon. It’s about the future of energy — and why you might want to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like little old Oswego, NY.

Nine Mile Point in Oswego, New York

Daily Rip Live: SaaS Platforms Pivot Hard to AI, IonQ Goes Shopping, and the Apple Point-Counterpoint You Need

Watch us every weekday morning (M-Th) at 9 AM ET (on X, YouTube or in the Stocktwits app!)

Every weekday, my co-host Shay Boloor and I cover the biggest market news and events LIVE on Stocktwits’ morning show, The Daily Rip Live.

Here’s what we covered on Thursday’s show:

  • 1:45 | Our new intro music is giving Dua Lipa!

  • 2:43 | Bringing institutional-grade research to retail, how information asymmetry is going away, and what that means for analysts

  • 11:35 | MongoDB is finally out of the dog house! $MDB ( ▲ 1.53% )  

  • 16:00 | SaaS earnings + AI traction, Docusign tanks $DOCU ( ▼ 1.15% )  

  • 20:10 | Why AI hallucinations are a 'forever problem'

  • 28:11 | Grammarly raises $1B in new financing

  • 32:00 | Exclusive Q&A with IonQ CEO, talking recent M&A $IONQ ( ▼ 1.02% )  

  • 49:50 | Apple Point / Counterpoint with Shay Boloor and Michael Parekh

  • 1:07 | Why there’s a 50% chance OpenAI CEO Sam Altman could be CEO of Apple by 2028 $AAPL ( ▼ 1.4% )  

Coming soon: l have a few fascinating interviews and events coming up over the next few days, and I can’t wait to share out some takeaways from those! In Tuesday’s edition, I’ll share how the beauty industry is adapting to accelerating consumer trends and supply chain complexities. Then, I’ll offer some insights from my interview with ANOTHER quantum computing CEO. 🤓

Now Here’s a Chart

Apparently, fast walkers have higher IQs than slower walkers — and that’s according to science. Yep, neurologists found that gait speed correlates with cognitive function. Go figure.

H/t Caitlin Cook on X for the spot

Reading List

Tuesday Thursday Saturday is written by Katie Perry, owner of Ursa Major Media, which provides fractional marketing services and strategy in software, tech, consumer products, professional services, and other industries. She is also the co-host of Stocktwits’ Daily Rip Live show.

Disclaimer: The contents here reflect recaps and summaries of pre-reported or published data, news, and trends. I have cited sources and context for the information provided to the best of my ability. The purpose of the newsletter is to inform and educate on larger trends shaping business and culture — this is NOT investment advice. As an investor, you should always do your own research before making any decisions about your money or your portfolio.