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@ Brunswick
2025-04-10 02:55:11The United States is on the cusp of a historic technological renaissance, often referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Artificial intelligence, automation, advanced robotics, quantum computing, biotechnology, and clean manufacturing are converging into a seismic shift that will redefine how we live, work, and relate to one another. But there's a critical catch: this transformation depends entirely on the availability of stable, abundant, and inexpensive electricity.
Why Electricity is the Keystone of Innovation
Let’s start with something basic but often overlooked. Every industrial revolution has had an energy driver:
- The First rode the steam engine, powered by coal.
- The Second was electrified through centralized power plants.
- The Third harnessed computing and the internet.
- The Fourth will demand energy on a scale and reliability never seen before.
Imagine a city where thousands of small factories run 24/7 with robotics and AI doing precision manufacturing. Imagine a national network of autonomous vehicles, delivery drones, urban vertical farms, and high-bandwidth communication systems. All of this requires uninterrupted and inexpensive power.
Without it? Costs balloon. Innovation stalls. Investment leaves. And America risks becoming a second-tier economic power in a multipolar world.
So here’s the thesis: If we want to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we must first lead in energy. And nuclear — specifically Gen IV Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) — must be part of that leadership.
The Nuclear Case: Clean, Scalable, Strategic
Let’s debunk the myth: nuclear is not the boogeyman of the 1970s. It’s one of the safest, cleanest, and most energy-dense sources we have.
But traditional nuclear has problems:
- Too expensive to build.
- Too long to license.
- Too bespoke and complex.
Enter Gen IV SMRs:
- Factory-built and transportable.
- Passively safe with walk-away safety designs.
- Scalable in 50–300 MWe increments.
- Ideal for remote areas, industrial parks, and military bases.
But even SMRs will struggle under the current regulatory, economic, and manufacturing ecosystem. To unlock their potential, we need a new national approach.
The Argument for National Strategy
Let’s paint a vision:
SMRs deployed at military bases across the country, secured by trained personnel, powering critical infrastructure, and feeding clean, carbon-free power back into surrounding communities.
SMRs operated by public chartered utilities—not for Wall Street profits, but for stability, security, and public good.
SMRs manufactured by a competitive ecosystem of certified vendors, just like aircraft or medical devices, with standard parts and rapid regulatory approval.
This isn't science fiction. It's a plausible, powerful model. Here’s how we do it.
Step 1: Treat SMRs as a National Security Asset
Why does the Department of Defense spend billions to secure oil convoys and build fuel depots across the world, but not invest in nuclear microgrids that would make forward bases self-sufficient for decades?
Nuclear power is inherently a strategic asset:
- Immune to price shocks.
- Hard to sabotage.
- Decades of stable power from a small footprint.
It’s time to reframe SMRs from an energy project to a national security platform. That changes everything.
Step 2: Create Public-Chartered Operating Companies
We don’t need another corporate monopoly or Wall Street scheme. Instead, let’s charter SMR utilities the way we chartered the TVA or the Postal Service:
- Low-margin, mission-oriented.
- Publicly accountable.
- Able to sign long-term contracts with DOD, DOE, or regional utilities.
These organizations won’t chase quarterly profits. They’ll chase uptime, grid stability, and national resilience.
Step 3: Build a Competitive SMR Industry Like Aerospace
Imagine multiple manufacturers building SMRs to common, certified standards. Components sourced from a wide supplier base. Designs evolving year over year, with upgrades like software and avionics do.
This is how we build:
- Safer reactors
- Cheaper units
- Modular designs
- A real export industry
Airplanes are safe, affordable, and efficient because of scale and standardization. We can do the same with reactors.
Step 4: Anchor SMRs to the Coming Fourth Industrial Revolution
AI, robotics, and distributed manufacturing don’t need fossil fuels. They need cheap, clean, continuous electricity.
- AI datacenters
- Robotic agriculture
- Carbon-free steel and cement
- Direct air capture
- Electric industrial transport
SMRs enable this future. And they decentralize power, both literally and economically. That means jobs in every region, not just coastal tech hubs.
Step 5: Pair Energy Sovereignty with Economic Reform
Here’s the big leap: what if this new energy architecture was tied to a transparent, auditable, and sovereign monetary system?
- Public utilities priced in a new digital dollar.
- Trade policy balanced by low-carbon energy exports.
- Public accounting verified with open ledgers.
This is not just national security. It’s monetary resilience.
The world is moving to multi-polar trade systems. Energy exports and energy reliability will define economic influence. If America leads with SMRs, we lead the conversation.
Conclusion: A Moral and Strategic Imperative
We can either:
- Let outdated fears and bureaucracy stall the future, or...
- Build the infrastructure for clean, secure, and sovereign prosperity.
We have the designs.
We have the talent.
We have the need.What we need now is will.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution will either be powered by us—or by someone else. Let’s make sure America leads. And let’s do it with SMRs, public charter, competitive industry, and national purpose.
It’s time.
This is a call to engineers, legislators, veterans, economists, and every American who believes in building again. SMRs are not just about power. They are about sovereignty, security, and shared prosperity.
Further reading:
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