Natural gas will be the dominant source of new US electricity generation going forward, with solar, nuclear, hydro and geothermal playing supporting roles.
“What's going to be the main source of new electricity in the United States by far and away? Natural gas just because it's cheapest, fast, it's reliable and dependable. Solar is going to play a role. Nuclear's going to play a role. Hydro, geothermal, stop closing coal, lots of pieces, but it's dominantly going to be natural gas.”
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Explanation
Natural gas remained the largest source of new US electricity generation capacity additions through 2025-2026, driven heavily by AI data center demand.
Three next-generation Gen 4 nuclear reactors will go critical at Idaho National Lab by next summer (2026).
“Nuclear is the single biggest issue I work on. We will have three next generation Gen 4 reactors critical in Idaho National Lab next summer.”
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Explanation
No three Generation IV nuclear reactors had gone critical at Idaho National Laboratory by summer 2026; advanced reactor demonstration projects there remained in earlier construction and licensing stages.
Small modular nuclear reactors will become free-market economically viable (without government support) in roughly 10 years.
“How far away are we till it's free market running? uh probably 10 years 10 years 10 years because it's just a learning curve with the the small modular reactors you got to build up the supply chain you got to build up and build them in volume the cost can come down dramatically”
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Explanation
Small modular reactors continued to attract major investment and pilot projects through 2025-2026, but full free-market viability without subsidy is a roughly 10-year-out claim that cannot yet be evaluated.
The Department of Energy will announce the first four AI-factory data center sites (from its 16 offered federal locations) the day after this taping, with more announcements to follow.
“We got 300 responses. We we will announce tomorrow the first four of those sites that will be developed and then you'll hear many more coming behind that.”
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Explanation
No specific, verifiable record of the Department of Energy announcing exactly four AI-factory data center sites the day after this taping was found.
By July 4, 2026 (or sooner), a next-generation small modular nuclear reactor will reach criticality at Idaho National Laboratory and demonstrate the ability to sell electricity into the grid.
“We will have new next generation small modular reactors critical next year. Our goal is by July 4th and I think we will beat that... it will be running on federal land... at the Idaho National Laboratory. It'll be demonstrating it can sell electricity.”
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Explanation
Under DOE's Reactor Pilot Program (established via Trump's May 2025 executive order), the goal was to get advanced reactors to criticality by July 4, 2026. Antares Nuclear's microreactor achieved criticality at Idaho National Laboratory's Materials and Fuels Complex on June 4, 2026, beating the deadline as Wright predicted, with two more reactors (Valar Atomics, Aalo Atomics) following.
Fifty years from this interview (by approximately 2075), solar power will still provide less than 10% of total global energy consumption.
“if we could make a bet 50 years out, I'll I'll make a bet solar never gets to 10% of global energy.”
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Explanation
This is a 50-year bet (to approximately 2075) made in 2025/2026, far beyond any timeframe that can be evaluated now. Solar remains a small but growing share of global energy today, consistent with either outcome; the claim cannot be assessed for decades.