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Wright to Will Cain: Nuclear Should Be a Much Bigger Piece of the Energy Pie; Regulation Is the Biggest Holdup

February 10, 2025 · U.S. Department of Energy · 0:04:05

Embedded from the source channel — never re-uploaded. Watch on YouTube

What happened

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, asked on Will Cain’s show whether nuclear should be a much bigger piece of the American energy pie, said absolutely: it is a reliable source that works 24/7, 365 days a year independent of weather, producing a lot of energy from a small footprint, and the United States needs more energy from many different places, according to Wright.

Asked the biggest holdup — regulation, cost, or public sentiment — Wright said by far regulation: an unrealistic and bureaucratic system created decades ago that has simply been ineffective, making it impossible to build anything new, according to Wright. He said safe, careful regulation is achievable, and that the technology, the businesses, the capital, and public support for nuclear are all there, so he expects rapid growth in coming years, according to the interview.

The host noted Wright’s background as CEO of a natural gas company that fracked, and that the industry was suppressed and heavily regulated under the past administration, and asked what can be done to restore oil and gas and its importance to American energy supply, according to the interview.

Why it matters

The February 2025 interview states Wright’s nuclear position at the start of his tenure: growth expected, with permitting reform — not technology, capital, or public opinion — as the named blocker.

Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, “Secretary Wright joins FOX’s Will Cain - February 10th, 2025”, 2025-02-10 (official upload, embedded above; published 2025-02-10). Transcript via Supadata (private research store, paraphrased and attributed, not republished). All figures and characterizations as stated by the speakers.