They are also the people who kept things running after the Three Mile Island accident, when I’m sure it seemed like the whole world was against them. TMI punched a demographic hole in the nuclear workforce. As one of the comparatively few Gen Xers in the industry, I can attest to the precipitous drop-off between generations. Even into my 40s, people would still refer to me as “young man.” “Only in the nuclear industry,” I would later joke to my friends.
Now let’s have a look to the left at “Peak 2.” It is centered over the late Millennials but also picks up a few early Gen Zs—all of whom were born after TMI. Few have any memories of Chernobyl. Until last year, none had seen a new reactor commissioned and built in the U.S. in their lifetimes. (True, Watts Bar-2 came on line in 2016, but that project was conceived in the 1970s then halted in the mid-80s before being resurrected.) Many were drawn to the nuclear field for its vast potential to combat global climate change. And unlike the “keep your head low and electrons flowing” ethos of their forebearers, this new generation is perfectly comfortable telling the world why nuclear is a wonderful and ultimately necessary technology if we want to enable the prosperity of billions of people without cooking the planet in the process.
These two nuclear generations look and act very differently from each other, and like any intergenerational family, there is bound to be cultural and ideological friction between them, especially in this time of heightened political sensitivities. Here’s my challenge to you: Find someone from the other peak, buy them a beverage of their choice, and pick their brains. It’s amazing what you will learn if you ask the right questions. The stark reality is this: As this new generation grows into prominence, it will increasingly carry the burden of enabling the nuclear resurgence on its shoulders. And to succeed, it will need the wisdom and experience of those who came before them to get the job done right.
Congrats to our 40 Under 40! Remember, you stand on the shoulders of giants.
