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Energy Explained
Get the latest as our experts share their insights on global energy policy.
Chinese Customs Data Reveal Deeper US Dependence on Chinese Rare Earths
One of the central objectives of the second Trump administration has been to pursue a maximalist trade policy toward China.
Podcasts
Hear in-depth conversations with the world’s top energy and climate leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society.
Jessica Uhl on the Fractured Energy Transition: Why Speed Matters Now
The clean energy transition had real momentum at the end of 2024. It was buoyed by federal support, billions of dollars of investment in new technologies, and broad...
Podcast
Maria Korsnick: The Outlook for Nuclear Energy in U.S.
January 4, 2019
The challenges facing nuclear energy in the United States are mounting. Just a decade ago there were predictions that nuclear power was poised for a renaissance, but the sector is struggling to stave off decline. Plants are closing and there are no plans for any large-scale new projects.
In this episode of the Columbia Energy Exchange, host Bill Loveless sits down with Maria Korsnick, the president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry’s trade association in Washington, D.C. A nuclear engineer by training, Maria joined NEI two years ago from Exelon Corp., where she was senior vice president for Northeast Operations, responsible for nuclear plants in Maryland and New York. Before that, she was the chief nuclear officer and acting CEO at Constellation Energy Nuclear Group.
Maria and Bill talked about the early retirements of nuclear power plants and the efforts by states and the Trump administration to prevent more reactors from going off-line. They also explored the extent to which nuclear power’s reputation for carbon-free emissions could become a bigger rallying cry for the industry as the outlook for addressing climate change darkens. The discussion also touched upon whether Republicans and Democrats in Congress might put aside partisan differences in 2019 to agree on steps to promote nuclear power, including the development of small modular reactors, given the results of the midterm elections.
More Episodes
Jessica Uhl on the Fractured Energy Transition: Why Speed Matters Now
The clean energy transition had real momentum at the end of 2024. It was buoyed by federal support, billions of dollars of investment in new technologies, and broad...
Ashley Finan and Amy Roma on Speed, Safety, and Reforming Nuclear Energy
For years, the energy transition was discussed as a shift that would happen in steady, predictable increments. But a massive surge in electricity demand in recent years—now colliding...
Columbia Energy Exchange Podcast
• June 2, 2026
Katie Auth on How the ‘Modern Energy Minimum’ Can Drive Economic Growth
Despite all the advancements we have achieved globally in recent decades, as many as 750 million people still lack access to electricity. Tackling energy poverty requires far more...
Speed to Power: Christian Bruch on Siemens Energy’s Turnaround
For years, the energy transition was discussed as a shift that would happen in steady, predictable increments. But the last 24 months have shattered that illusion. Energy providers...
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Silicon Valley’s Bad Bet on the Gulf
Why the AI build-out was doomed from the start.
Chinese Customs Data Reveal Deeper US Dependence on Chinese Rare Earths
One of the central objectives of the second Trump administration has been to pursue a maximalist trade policy toward China.
Pourquoi les Prix du Gaz Européens ne Flambent-Ils pas?
CHRONIQUE. Nouvelles usines de liquéfaction et augmentation des exportations expliquent, entre autres, pourquoi les prix du gaz ne connaissent pas le pic observé en 2022, lors de l’invasion de l’Ukraine. Mais cette stabilité des prix ne traversera pas l’été, écrit Anne-Sophie Corbeau, spécialiste de l’énergie au Center on Global Energy Policy de l’Université Columbia
How the Next Round of US Tariffs Could Shape Global Energy and Industrial Value Chains
In March 2026, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced it was investigating "structural excess capacity and production in manufacturing sectors" in 16 economies.
