The energy grid fails in silence, long before the lights go out. The real problem is that most of the infrastructure keeping the grid alive is inspected too slowly, too infrequently, and with sensors that drift. We pour billions into building new power infrastructure, yet some of our biggest reliability gains might come from simply seeing existing assets more clearly. Quantum sensing promises exactly that, and it is closer to deployment than most people realise.
In this conversation, Alex sits down with Emma Wong, Nuclear Principal Lead for Innovation, Quantum Technologies, and International Engagement at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), to explore how quantum sensing technology could transform grid reliability, reduce costly downtime at nuclear plants, and reshape how we think about energy security, from US utilities to communities in sub-Saharan Africa.
Chapters
00:00 Seeing Problems Early
01:53 EPRI's Mission
03:34 Into Nuclear Innovation
06:27 Quantum Technologies Overview
09:15 How Quantum Sensors Work
12:33 No-Drift Sensing Advantage
15:34 Real World Applications
22:21 Cutting Nuclear Downtime
25:20 Utility Pilot Programs
26:15 Quantum Meets AI
32:29 Key Stakeholders for Quantum
35:37 Nuclear in a Renewable Grid
41:43 Modern Reactor Safety
46:43 G20 Nuclear Summit
48:43 Energy Access in Africa
53:22 Contrarian Energy Take
#Nuclear #QuantumTechnology #EnergyTransition #CleanEnergy #FutureOfEnergy
