Since catastrophic incidents like three-mile island (1979), Chernobyl (1986), and more recently Fukushima (2011), nuclear power has long been fighting an uphill cultural and political battle. Worries surrounding safety and expenses have kept nuclear progress at bay, until now.

For the past five years, nuclear power has been in a renaissance as public support for the energy has grown. As of 2024, 56% of Americans support the use of nuclear power, which is up almost 10% from 2016.

“Things like three-mile island are starting to feel like they are pretty far in the distance,” said Jennifer Hiller, who wrote about nuclear power’s current cultural moment for the Wall Street Journal. “The industry has had a pretty good safety record in the U.S. since then.”

Marketplace Host Amy Scott spoke to Hiller about why nuclear power is growing in popularity and how policy changes are allowing for progress.

To hear their full conversation, click the audio player above.