OIES Podcast – The Outlook for Nuclear Energy and Small Modular Reactors

Podcasts - Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

In this latest OIES podcast, from the Energy Transition Programme, James Henderson talks to Adnan Shihab-Eldin about the future of nuclear energy and the role that small modular reactors can play. The conclusions of COP28 were relatively positive of nuclear energy, including it as a key component of the energy transition for the first time, but despite this the high cost and timescales of major projects remain a problem for many countries. In this podcast we discuss the potential for small modular reactors to increase availability of nuclear technology to a wider audience of developed and developing countries. We address the economics of SMRs compared to large scale nuclear plants, but also look at safety and security issues and the critical question of how to manage radioactive waste generated from a larger community of reactors. Finally we also look at the potential new business opportunities in this area. The podcast is based on the latest Oxford Energy Forum on the future of nuclear energy.