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The Vogtle nuclear power plant is located in Burke County, near Waynesboro, Georgia in USA. Each of the two existing units have a Westinghouse pressurized water reactor (PWR), with a General Electric turbine and electric generator, producing approximately 2,400 MW of electricity. Two Westinghouse made AP 1000 reactors are under construction here.

Pallava Bagla | Corbis News | Getty Images

Venture capitalists in Silicon Valley and other tech hubs are investing money in nuclear energy for the first time in history. That’s changing its trajectory and pace of innovation.

“There’s not been a resurgence of nuclear power, ever, since its heyday in the late 1970s,” Ray Rothrock, a longtime venture capitalist who has personal investments in 10 nuclear startups, told CNBC.

Now, that’s changing. “I have never seen this kind of investment before. Ever.”  

How nuclear power is changing

Jacob DeWitte, CEO of micro-reactor startup Oklo, says the landscape has changed dramatically since he started raising money in 2014, when he was a part of the Y Combinator startup incubator.

“More investors are interested, more investors are excited by the space, and they’re getting smarter to do the diligence and know what to do here — which is good,” DeWitte told CNBC.

This surge of private investment will be a positive for the industry, agrees John Parsons, an economist and lecturer at MIT.

“I think having fresh perspectives is really good,” Parsons told CNBC. Nuclear energy is “a very complex science, and it’s been supported by the federal government and at these national labs. And so that’s a very small circle of people. And when you broaden that circle, you get a lot of new minds, different thinking, a variety of experiments.”

In any industry, there can be a “groupthink” or “narrowness” in the way things are done over time, Parsons said. With private investment in the space, “there will be out-of-the-box thinking,” he said. “Maybe that out-of-the-box thinking doesn’t produce anything useful. Maybe it turns out that the old designs are the best. But I think it’s really wonderful to have the variety of takes.”

Not everyone is so optimistic that the recent influx of venture dollars will lead to progress.

“Investors have often invested in stupid things that didn’t work,” Naomi Oreskes, a professor of the history of science at Harvard University, told CNBC. “Because the reality is that in a 75-year history of this technology, it has never been profitable in a market-based system.” If investors are putting money into nuclear now, that’s because they think they can make money, and “I can only think they believe they will make money because they think that there’s a big opportunity to have the federal government pick up a big part of the tab,” Oreskes said.

Pitchbook’s private investment data for nuclear technology data includes both fusion and fission.

Chart courtesy Pitchbook.

Nuclear investment by the numbers

From 2015 to 2021, total venture capital deal flow in the United States increased 54% in terms of deals closed and 294% by dollar value, according to data compiled by private capital market research firm Pitchbook for CNBC. In that same time, climate investing deal flow in the United States jumped by 214% in terms of volume and 1,348% by dollar value.

In the nuclear space, investment rose even faster — 325% by volume and 3,642% by dollar value, according to Pitchbook.

Some of the rapid pace of increase in investment in the nuclear sector is explained by its starting point — virtually zero.

“This is still pretty small compared to the private investments in renewables,” like wind and solar, for example, said David Schlissel, director of resource planning analysis at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a market research firm.

The venture market slowed overall in 2022, and nuclear investment is no exception. Concerns about the war in Ukraine, inflation, a wave of layoffs and murmurs of a recession have made investors nervous in the public markets and private alike.

Pitchbook includes companies developing technologies to mitigate or adapt to climate change in this category. Examples include renewable energy generation, long duration energy storage, the electrification of transportation, agricultural innovations, industrial process improvements, and mining technologies.

Chart courtesy Pitchbook

“At the beginning of the year, we were looking at a much different financial paradigm for nuclear startups seeking funding. Now, following a war, and inflationary related forces, the fundraising market is just not what it was earlier and that is challenging for everyone seeking funding and support, nuclear or otherwise,” Brett Rampal, a nuclear energy expert who evaluates investment opportunities and consults for nuclear startups, told CNBC.

More than $300 billion poured into the venture capital industry in 2021. Rothrock expects to see more like $160 billion in 2022.

“I’m sure that some funds that pull back may never come back,” Rothrock said. But most investors who are putting money into a nuclear company understands that it will not be a quick investment, Rothrock told CNBC. “Entrepreneurs and investors at the level we are talking for nuclear are playing the long game, they have to. These projects will take time to mature and to generate real cash flows.”

Also, the Inflation Reduction Act that President Joe Biden signed into law in August, which includes $369 billion in funding to help combat climate change, has given nuclear investors a very significant positive signal, Rampal told CNBC.

“The IRA investment and production tax credits are not nuclear specific credits, they’re clean energy credits that nuclear is now considered a part of, and that sends a real important message to people and investors that would consider this space,” Rampal said. Similarly important, the European Union voted in July to keep some specific uses of nuclear energy (and natural gas) in its taxonomy of sustainable sources of energy in some circumstances, according to Rampal.

Total venture capital deal activity, according to Pitchbook data, for the last five years.

Chart courtesy Pitchbook.

The VC approach to nuclear

The nuclear power industry in the United States launched as a government project after the U.S. built the first atomic bombs during World War II. In 1951, a nuclear reactor produced electricity for the first time in Idaho at the National Reactor Testing Station, which would become the Idaho National Laboratory.

In the 1960s and 1970s, large conglomerates constructed big nuclear power plants, and those projects often ran over budget. “As a consequence, most of the utilities that undertook nuclear projects suffered ratings downgrades—sometimes several downgrades—during the construction phase,” according to a 2011 report from the Congressional Budget Office. Also, the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 raised public fears about safety and put a damper on construction.

Nuclear power generation in the United States peaked in 2012 with 104 operating reactors, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

However, in recent years, private investors and venture capitalists have been putting money into nuclear startups, driven by a newfound sense of urgency to respond to climate change, as nuclear energy releases no greenhouse gases. There’s also the allure of funding underdog companies with huge upside.

The venture capital model is based on big bets — venture capitalists spread their money across many companies. Most are expected to fail or maybe break even, but if one or two companies get enormous, they more than cover the cost of all those losses. This is the investing model that built Silicon Valley stalwarts like Apple, Google and Tesla.

Some venture capitalists are especially excited about fusion. It’s the type of nuclear energy that powers stars, and it generates no long-lasting radioactive waste — but so far, it’s proven fiendishly difficult to create a lasting fusion reaction on Earth and impossible to generate enough energy for commercial generation.

“It’s far better than nuclear fission,” investor Vinod Khosla told CNBC in October. “It’s far better than coal and fossil fuels for sure. But it’s not ready. And we need to get it ready and build it.”

Khosla isn’t the only one. The private fusion industry has seen almost $5 billion in investment, according to the Fusion Industry Association, and more than half of that has been since since the second quarter of 2021, Andrew Holland, CEO of the association, told CNBC.

Installation of one of the giant 300-tonne magnets that will be used to confine the fusion reaction during the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) on the Cadarache site on September 15, 2021.

Jean-marie Hosatte | Gamma-rapho | Getty Images

Others are excited about new advances in nuclear fission, the more traditional type of nuclear power based on breaking atomic nuclei apart, like DCVC founder Zachary Bogue, who invested in micro-nuclear reactor company Oklo.

“Advanced nuclear fission is a quintessential deep-tech venture capital problem,” Bogue told CNBC in September. There is technical and regulatory risk, but if those problems are solved, “there are just massive-scale returns … all of those elements are a perfect recipe for venture capital.”

While these bets seem expensive and risky compared with venture capital’s recent focus on software and consumer tech, they’ll still bring a faster and more agile approach than the old-line nuclear industry.

Take micro-reactors.

“These are going to be very expensive at first. But the goal is to find something that is a product that’s much more flexible, can go on to the grid in many more different places and serve different functions, and go off grid also,” explained MIT’s Parsons.

Similarly, fusion startups say they will generate energy much faster than government research projects like ITER, which has already been in progress since 2007.

This quick-turn approach to investment is spurring experimentation. New generations of nuclear reactors will have different sizes, different coolants and different fuels, explained Matt Crozat, senior director of policy development at the Nuclear Energy Institute. Some reactors are being designed for companies or communities in isolated areas, for example. Others are being made to operate at high temperatures for industrial processes, Crozat told CNBC.

“It really is expanding the range of what nuclear can mean,” Crozat said. Many won’t succeed, but time and the market will figure out what’s needed and what’s possible, he said.

Because venture investors are hungry for returns, this also spurs nuclear startups to chase interim revenue streams as they’re getting their big-bet technology up and running.

For example, Bill Gates‘ nuclear innovation company TerraPower is working on a demonstration of its advanced reactor in Wyoming in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, but in the meantime is using its capacity to produce isotopes that are also used in medical research and treatments. Advanced nuclear company Kairos Power is developing the capacity to produce salt for molten salt reactors, both for itself and to sell to other companies.

‘A long history of broken promises’

But critics say venture capitalists are ignoring the troubled history of nuclear power as a business.

“Investors have forgotten or are ignoring the lessons from earlier generations of nuclear plants which cost 2 to 3 times as much to build and took years longer than was promised by the vendors,” Schlissel told CNBC. For instance, a project to put two new reactors on the Vogtle power plant in Georgia was originally estimated to be $14 billion and ended up costing more than $34 billion and taking six years longer to complete than expected, he said.

15 November 2022, Egypt, Scharm El Scheich: A nuclear symbol is displayed at a pavilion of the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA at the UN Climate Summit COP27. Photo: Christophe Gateau/dpa

Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

Harvard’s Oreskes says the nuclear industry is a “technology with a long history of broken promises,” and she is skeptical of the sudden investor interest.

“If you were my daughter, and you had a boyfriend that had made repeated promises to you over months, years, decades, constantly breaking them, I would say, ‘Do you really want to be with this guy?'”

She’s not categorically anti-nuclear, and supports the continued operation of nuclear power plants that already exist. But she’s particularly skeptical of fusion, which has been promised to be “just around the corner” for decades, and says this new round of investments in fusion “doesn’t pass the laugh test.”

Ultimately, the new crop of nuclear startups has to figure out how to create nuclear energy in a cost-competitive way, or nothing else matters, says Rothrock.

“More money means more startups and to me that means more shots on goal (improving odds of success),” he told CNBC.

“The issue in nuclear is economics. Plants are complicated and take a while to build. Some of these new startups are tackling those issues making them more simple and thus cheaper. No one will buy an expensive power plant, especially a nuclear plant. Economics drives it all.”

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The Honda Prologue scored big in August with incentives of over $12,000

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October 15, 2025

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The Honda Prologue scored big in August with incentives of over ,000

Honda-Prologue-EV-incentives

Honda’s electric SUV was the third most popular EV in the US in August, behind the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Offering over $12,000 in average incentives, the Honda Prologue scored big as buyers rushed to claim the federal EV tax credit.

Honda Prologue registrations surge with huge incentives

As the $7,500 credit expired at the end of September, automakers were offering pretty notable discounts, many in the five digits with combined incentives.

The Honda Prologue has been one of the most discounted EVs over the past few months. Last month, buyers could score up to over $20,000 in combined savings, including a $7,500 credit, $9,500 in financing bonuses, trade-in offers, and 0% interest for six years.

According to the latest registration data from S&P Global Mobility (via Automotive News), the incentives helped propel the Honda Prologue to become the third most popular EV in August.

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A total of 138,457 EVs were registered in the US in August, up 24% from a year ago. Honda Prologue registrations surged 81% to 9,005 vehicles, the data showed.

Honda-Prologue-EV-incentives
2025 Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)

Since some automakers don’t report monthly or US sales numbers, the S&P Global Mobility data offers a snapshot of sales performance.

The Prologue was yet again one of the most discounted models, with incentives of $12,704 in August, according to Motor Intelligence. Last August, Prologue incentives were just $5,813. Honda’s gas-powered CR-V had just $2,016 in incentives in August.

Honda-Prologue-EV-incentives
2025 Honda Prologue (Source: Honda)

Although the $7,500 credit expired on September 30, Honda is still offering generous incentives for Prologue buyers and lessees.

The 2025 Honda Prologue is available with up to $16,550 in lease cash in most states. Alternatively, Honda is offering 0% APR financing for up to 60 months.


2025 Honda Prologue trim		 Starting Price* EPA Range
(miles)
EX (FWD) $47,400 308
EX (AWD) $50,400 294
Touring (FWD) $51.700 308
Touring (AWD) $54,700 294
Elite (AWD) $57,900 283
2025 Honda Prologue prices and range by trim (*Does not include $1,450 D&H fee)

Although the Acura ZDX will not return for a 2026 model year, Honda is planning to launch the 2026 Prologue. We have yet to learn prices, but we could see it priced slightly lower due to the loss of the $7,500 EV credit.

Hyundai announced earlier this month it’s reducing 2026 IONIQ 5 prices by up to nearly $10,000 on some trims. The 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 now starts at under $35,000. Will Honda match it?

Want to check out the Prologue for yourself? You can use our link to find available Honda Prologue models in your area (trusted affiliate link).


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Oregon launches its first solar + storage DC fast charging station

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October 15, 2025

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Oregon launches its first solar + storage DC fast charging station

Oregon first solar storage DC fast charging

Photo: XCharge NA

XCharge North America (NA) has opened Oregon’s first solar + storage DC fast charging station at Arrowhead Travel Plaza in Pendleton, part of the Wildhorse Resort & Casino complex owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

NetZero Energy helped bring the project to life, handling system design and project management. The solar canopy provides renewable power to the chargers, while the integrated batteries make the site more resilient and capable of off-grid operation during outages.

The new station integrates four dual-dispenser 215kWh GridLink chargers with 40kW of solar that can output up to 194kW per unit, allowing drivers to charge quickly with CCS1 or NACS plugs while reducing strain on the grid. The site’s location on Interstate 84 is key because Arrowhead serves more than 1.7 million vehicles a year. Many drive the steep, rough weather-prone Cabbage Hill grade, where a full charge is essential for safety.

“We partnered with XCharge NA because they provide a grid-friendly charging solution with battery storage that seamlessly integrates with a custom solar canopy – a perfect fit for our climate,” said Tom Fine, general manager of Arrowhead Travel Plaza.

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Each GridLink charger includes bidirectional capability, meaning it can send power back to the grid or function off-grid in the event of an emergency. It also has a built-in safety system that monitors battery packs with multiple sensors and fire suppression technology.

With this project, XCharge North America now operates in 18 states. Cofounder and president Aatish Patel called Oregon’s first solar-supplemented DC fast-charging site a milestone: “Our Arrowhead Travel Plaza installation goes beyond simply delivering ultra-fast charging – it’s a powerful demonstration of how integrating our GridLink technology with solar power can offset grid demand, enhance a charging site’s resilience and flexibility, and even bolster the region’s energy architecture.”

Read more: XCharge NA is now leasing DC fast chargers to small businesses

The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to


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Bluetti launches Pioneer Na(Sodium) station starting from exclusive $735, save $1,116 on Tenways AGO X e-bike gear + battery bundle, more

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October 15, 2025

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Bluetti launches Pioneer Na(Sodium) station starting from exclusive 5, save ,116 on Tenways AGO X e-bike gear + battery bundle, more


Today’s Green Deals is the third in a row that is headlining a new power station release, with Bluetti launching its new Pioneer Na(Sodium) Portable Power Station and bundles with exclusive savings for our readers starting from $735. From there, we have the massive $1,116 savings on Tenways’ AGO X All-Terrain Mid-Drive e-bike that comes with $307 in FREE add-on gear alongside a FREE Power Bank (extra 180Wh battery) for $1,999. There’s also BougeRV’s e-bike Rack Hitch for all vehicles hitting a new $350 low, Greenworks Gen 2 electric pressure washers, and our favorite ongoing Prime Day Sales (half of which are ending tonight) – plus, many more available to browse in our Post-Prime Day Green Deals hub here. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s $1,000 super-early bird savings on EcoFlow’s upcoming DELTA Pro Ultra X power station, the new low price on Heybike’s Hero Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

bluetti pioneer Na(Sodium) portable power station in snow

Bluetti launches new Pioneer Na(Sodium) portable power station with exclusive savings starting from $735

Bluetti has launched its newest backup power solution, and we’ve secured some exclusive savings for our readers on it and its bundle options. You can now pick up Bluetti’s Pioneer Na(Sodium) Portable Power Station at $735.08 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5TOYS8OFF at checkout for an additional 8% savings. It’ll normally go for $1,299 at full price once these initial launch savings end, with the discount today starting things at $799, while our readers score a bonus $64 price cut further. All-in-all, that’s a combined 43% markdown that cuts a total of $564 off the tag and sets the bar for future discounts down the road.

The standout feature of Bluetti’s new Pioneer Na(Sodium) portable power station, as the name might hint to you, is its cold-proof construction and sodium-ion battery cells, which make it ideal for trips and/or emergencies during severe cold weather as low as -13 degrees. It’s also even more eco-friendly than typical power station designs, utilizing sustainable sodium over rare metals like lithium and cobalt. Great for ice fishing trips, snow camping, or blackouts in winter, this model brings along a 900Wh capacity that provides up to 1,500W of steady power for daily essentials, while surging up to 2,250W for high-demand appliances.

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The Bluetti Pioneer Na portable power station is built to last for 4,000+ charge cycles, with the brand rating it for a 10-year lifespan – plus, it even boasts ultra-low standby consumption of 1.5W, meaning it’ll always be ready to assist you with portable power regardless of it sitting idle for months. It sports five primary recharging methods, with a typical AC outlet putting it back to 80% in 45 minutes or to full in 65 minutes. Of course, there’s a 500W max solar input, which can also be used simultaneously with an AC outlet to cut down times to 35 minutes (80% battery) or 52 minutes (100% battery). There’s also the options to plug into your car’s auxiliary port, or you can get faster on-the-go charging from the brand’s 500W Alternator Charger 1 (bundle below).

***Note: Remember to use the exclusive code 9TO5TOYS8OFF at checkout to score the prices below; otherwise, you’ll be paying the normal launch rates.

Bluetti’s Na(Sodium) power station launch deals:

man riding tenways AGO X e-bike through forest

Save a total $1,116 on Tenways’ AGO X all-terrain mid-drive e-bike with FREE gear and 180Wh power bank at $1,999

Tenways is offering a special extra battery promotion (known as the Tenways Power Bank here) on its AGO X All-Terrain e-bike at $1,999 shipped that also comes with $307 in FREE additional add-on gear, while also offering a 50% discount on the standalone power bank, were you wanting to pick one up for any other models from the brand you may already have. The AGO X e-bike normally goes for $2,499 without discounts, which we’ve mostly seen taken down to this rate over the year, with some occasional drops lower to $1,899. This is the first bundle with the Tenways Power Bank ($309 value), however, giving you a total of $1,116 savings, which is the biggest deal we’ve tracked to date. Alongside this model, you can also find the CGO600 Pro Lightweight e-bikes with $300 price cuts and $118 in FREE gear, as well as the option for a 50% off Power Bank add-on.

If you want to learn more about the AGO X e-bike, or the Power Bank, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

BougeRV e-bike rack hitch mounted on back of SUV while driving with e-bikes attached

Mount this tiltable BougeRV e-bike rack hitch to your vehicle and carry up to 200 pounds for a new $350 low

Through its official Amazon storefront, BougeRV is now offering the best rate yet on its 2-inch e-bike Rack Hitch with Ramp for cars, SUVs, and trucks at $349.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page coupon. Earlier in the week we spotted its more affordable e-bike-compatible counterpart returning to its $180 low, and now, this more premium model is coming down from its full $500 price tag to follow suit. Discounts here have only gone as low as $400 up until today, with that rate beaten out by this $150 markdown that lands costs at a new all-time low price.

If you want to learn more about this bike carrier, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man cleaning front steps and walkway with greenworks 1,900 PSI electric pressure washer

Greenworks’ gen 2 13A 1,900 PSI portable compact electric pressure washer goes anywhere for $110

Amazon is offering the Greenworks 13A 1,900 PSI Portable Compact Electric Pressure Washer at $109.99 shipped, which matches the price direct from the brand’s website. While it carries a $160 MSRP, this newer cleaning model has been keeping down at $128 at Amazon since the summer began, with this rate only having been beaten by the one-time $104 low we spotted during the Prime Day event last week. If you missed your chance at that low price, you’re getting the next-best rate here with a total $50 savings from its MSRP. You can also shop all the brand’s current electric pressure washer deals by heading to its Amazon storefront here.

If you want to learn more about this newer electric cleaning solution, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

ecoflow early prime day power station sale

Best Fall EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.


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