Does the U.S. need more nuclear power? Miss America thinks so.
So do Oliver Stone, Elon Musk and Sam Altman.
Atomic energy is elbowing its way back into the conversation about future energy supplies, with backers in the Biden administration and oil and gas industries alike.
It has also re-entered the American zeitgeist thanks to movies, billionaire backers and a pageant icon.
Supporters of splitting atoms to make electricity as a way to fight climate change include Stone, who just released a documentary about nuclear power; Musk, who frequently calls himself a “believer”; and Altman, the head of the artificial-intelligence startup OpenAI, who plans to take a nuclear power startup public.
Grace Stanke, the reigning Miss America, is on a charm offensive for the industry as part of a year-long publicity tour.
