Part 2/12:
The episode opens with a stark reality: the AI boom is intensifying the demand for electricity. The data centers supporting AI computations require dense, steady, and affordable power 24/7, pushing the limits of existing energy infrastructure. While renewable sources like wind and solar are vital, their intermittency and current costs make them insufficient alone for AI's colossal energy needs. Adding to this, the current reliance on traditional pressurized water reactors (PWRs), designed in the 1950s, poses safety, safety, safety, and cost challenges. These reactors utilize high-pressure systems and active cooling methods that carry meltdowns and meltdown risks.