Q&A: The Nuclear Co.’s bold vision to build big reactors

By Francisco "A.J." Camacho | 08/20/2024 06:45 AM EDT

Executives from the Kentucky startup discussed their plans to deploy a fleet of reactors by the 2030s.

Chief Nuclear Officer Joe Klecha (left) and Chief Development Officer Juliann Edwards are among the first executive-level hires at The Nuclear Co.

Chief Nuclear Officer Joe Klecha (left) and Chief Development Officer Juliann Edwards are among the first executive-level hires at The Nuclear Co. The Nuclear Co.

A Kentucky startup thinks the U.S. can return to its nuclear heyday — and maybe even surpass it.

The Nuclear Co. was founded earlier this year with ambitions to spur a fleet of nuclear power plants. That’s a tall order: The U.S. has built only one nuclear plant from scratch in the last 30 years.

But the company has already received undisclosed amounts of funding from investment firms like CIV, MCJ Collective and Goldcrest Capital. It also enters the scene amid a bipartisan push in Congress to boost nuclear energy, including passing landmark legislation last month to secure the development of new reactors.

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In a recent interview, the company’s chief nuclear officer, Joe Klecha, and chief development officer, Juliann Edwards, laid out plans to create a universal blueprint for nuclear plants that shaves years and dollars off the installation timeline.

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