Nuclear energy is gaining significant momentum once again in the U.S., driven by changing conditions and new demands. According to Reuters, in early 2026, major tech companies such as Meta and Google invested in advanced nuclear projects to power their AI data centers. Other new nuclear projects are moving forward as well. In Wyoming, TerraPower, a company founded by Bill Gates, received federal approval in March to begin construction on one of the first advanced nuclear reactors approved in the U.S. in decades. Veritas asked Paly students and staff about their thoughts on embracing nuclear energy as a major energy source in the future.

“I think nuclear energy is risky for the environment…it produces toxic waste, and we don’t really know what to do with it long term. Also it’s really expensive.”

— Joycelyn Zhou, sophomore

“It can certainly be an improvement over things like burning coal, and at the same time, there are people that are very concerned about the potential for a Fukushima style incident that would cause further damage to the environment or harm human life.”

— Joshua Knowles-Hinrichs, English teacher

“Nuclear energy is clean, renewable energy. I think the benefits definitely outweigh the costs.”

— Zander Beaudouin, sophomore