David Coates on Nuclear Power, Micro Reactors, AI Data Centers & America’s Next Energy Renaissance

In this episode of The Victory Show, Travis Cody sits down with David "David" Coates—Navy nuclear propulsion veteran, longtime commercial nuclear leader, and COO of the Materials & Fuels Complex at Idaho National Laboratory—to demystify the “most misunderstood” energy source on Earth: nuclear power. Dave breaks down why nuclear is back in the spotlight (especially with AI-driven data center demand), what micro reactors and small modular reactors actually are, and why mobile, factory-built reactors may be the fastest near-term win. He also walks through the real history behind nuclear fear—from Three Mile Island and Chernobyl to The China Syndrome—and explains what’s changed: safer passive designs, better operating discipline, and a growing push to rebuild domestic uranium supply chains. Finally, Dave tackles the hardest question: spent fuel. He explains why on-site storage has been safe, why recycling capability existed decades ago, and what it would actually take—politically and operationally—to unlock a true nuclear renaissance by the 2030s.