The Power Hour

How States are Getting Energy Policy Right (and Wrong) with Amy Cooke 15.06.2026 58min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with national experts. Jack invites the real AOC, Amy O. Cooke, Always On Energy’s President and Chairman of the Board. Amy is also a Visiting Energy Fellow at the State Policy Network where she chairs SPN’s Energy Policy Working Group. Of particular interest, Jack and Amy talk about how much of the energy affordability issues we are facing today have nothing to do with increase demand and everything to do with the past bad energy policies. And Amy explains how the work being done at Always On Energy puts real numbers behind the argument. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg of issues covered by Jack and Amy over the course of their conversation. You can learn more about the great work being done at Always On Energy here and SPN’s energy work here. After you listen to the Power Hour, go check Amy’s podcast PowerGab here, where she talks about energy issues and Colorado. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our documentary about nuclear energy, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Will AI Unlock the Future of Affordable Nuclear Energy with Kevin Kong 08.06.2026 49min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with national experts. Jack has a fascinating conversation with Everstar AI CEO, Kevin Kong on today’s episode. Kevin makes a compelling argument that radical shifts in nuclear power’s underlying economics will be made possible with AI technology. Whether during the regulatory process, supply chain development, or plant construction, AI will transform how nuclear power plants are built by harnessing massive efficiencies and this, in turn, will result in lower prices. You will also get a crash course in AI technology as Jack starts the conversation by asking Kevin “what is AI?” and “how does it work?” To get the answers, you will have to listen. You can learn more about Everstr AI here and Kevin Kong here. You can reach out to Kevin on his Instagram page. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our documentary about nuclear energy, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Pioneering a Path Forward on New Commercial Nuclear Energy with Peter Okrasa 01.06.2026 51min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Jack invites Peter Okrasa, founder and Chief Investment Officer of Pioneer Nuclear Energy Group to the Power Hour today. Peter is an investor and entrepreneur who is applying his decades of investment experience to forge a new path for commercial nuclear energy. What makes Peter exceptional is that he’s not just talking about the promise of nuclear energy, but he founded a company, Pioneer Nuclear, to make it happen. Peter explains why nuclear presents such a unique financial opportunity and what makes his company unique in its approach to developing commercial nuclear projects. Jack and Peter cover a lot of ground in this conversation from why nuclear energy is the energy of the future to what challenges remain in it reaching its full potential. rse, nuclear energy. You can learn more about Peter and Pioneer Nuclear here and you can reach out to Peter via email at po@pioneernuclear.com As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our documentary about nuclear energy, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

An America First Energy Policy with Ted Ellis 19.05.2026 1t 8min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Ted Ellis of the America First Policy Institute joins Jack this week for a wide-ranging discussion on energy policy. Ted, who bring experience from Capital Hill, is Campaign Director, Power America and Deputy Director, Energy and Environment at AFPI, but more important, the man knows energy policy. But Ted is not just some energy guy. He brings a fresh look at the issues and understands that innovation and entrepreneurship will be what ultimately solves our energy problems. It is in that context that Jack and Ted discuss why energy prices are so high and what can be done about it, how AI’s demand for power could drive the next energy revolution, and, of course, nuclear energy. You can learn more about Ted here and his organization, America First Policy Institute here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our documentary about nuclear energy, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Why Your Transportation Freedom Might be at Risk with Terri Hall 11.05.2026 58min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. The Power Hour expands its horizon with this discussion. Jack talks with Terri Hall of Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF) about how our freedom to drive where we want, when we want is being threatened. Terri is an activist who got sick and tired of seeing her highway dollars being wasted and decided to do something about it so she started organizing people to bring integrity back to the system. Before she knew it, she was running an organization whose mission was to do exactly that. While Terri’s work focuses on Texas, you will quickly learn that what she does impacts us all. Jack and Terri cover a lot of ground, discussing everything from highway spending to what regulators are trying to do track us in our automobiles. You can learn more about Terri’s great organization, Texas TURF, here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our documentary about nuclear energy, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Could Fusion Be Just Around the Corner with Chris Mowry 04.05.2026 57min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Jack invites Chris Mowry of Type One Energy to the Power Hour this week to continue our discussion on fusion energy. Chris explains in detail how fusion works and why it is such a promising energy source. From the fuel to the economics to the technology to the waste issue (or non issue to be exact), Jack and Chris cover the fusion horizon. Most importantly, though, Chris explains why the time is now for fusion and that it won’t be long before our homes and businesses are being powered by this exciting new source of energy. You can learn more Chris here and about Type One Energy here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our documentary about nuclear energy, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Could Fusion Be the Next Big Energy Breakthrough with Jackie Siebens 27.04.2026 58min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. This week Jack invites Jackie Siebens of Helion, one of the nation’s leading fusion energy companies, to the Power Hour for a fascinating conversation about this exciting technology. They discuss how the technology works, how close it is to deployment, why fusion could be the key to solving a lot of energy issues, and does it make economic sense. But most important, Jackie puts to bed the age-old question of whether fusion is just a few decades away. Not give away the plot, but she makes a compelling argument for fusion being much closer than we think. You can learn more about Helion here and more about the fusion industry at the Fusion Industry Association here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our documentary about nuclear energy, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

What Are the Kids Thinking About Energy and Environmental Policy, Part 2 with Savanna, Laura, and Camilla (the interns) 20.04.2026 47min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts, or sometimes future top national experts. In fact, Jack invited three more young professionals to with three very different perspectives to continue the discussion. Don’t worry. It is a different conversation. This time Jack is joined by Laura Escher, Savanna Donaldson, and Camilla Cort—each of whom took some time to talk with us about how energy and environment issues impact their lives. You’d never know that they are new to the media game because they all were outstanding. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and don’t forget to check out our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America. And a special thanks to Laura, Savanna, and Camilla. Expectations Exceeded! Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

What Are the Kids Thinking About Energy and Environmental Policy with Connon, Payton, and Grayson (the interns) 13.04.2026 1t 1min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts, or sometimes future top national experts. In fact, Jack is having a bit of a different conversation today. To switch things up a bit, he invited 3 of Heritage’s best interns to join the program to find out what young adults are thinking about energy and environment policy. Jack was joined by Connor Brown, Grayson Ryland, and Payton Kleidon—each of whom are recent or soon to be college graduates and all had interesting perspectives on how energy and environment issues impact their lives. Also, none of them knew that they were going to be on the Power Hour until just before they came on. So what you hear is their authentic thoughts. Spoiler. They all did awesome. So if you want to feel good about the future of the county, you will want to check this one out. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and don’t forget to check out our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America. And a special thanks to Connor, Payton, and Grayson. You guys killed it! Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

What Can We Do About Energy Prices with Tom Pyle, President, Institute for Energy Research 06.04.2026 1t 6min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Jack invites Tom Pyle, President of the Institute for Energy Research, to the Power Hour this week for a timely and informative discussion about energy prices. Are data centers driving up energy prices? Why does conflict in other parts of the world impact our price at the pump? Does the impact of the Iran crisis justify moving away from gas and oil and toward renewables? HINT: No! But to find out why and more, check out this week’s episode. You can learn more about the Institute for Energy Research here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution and check out our documentary, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

A Discussion About the Future of Nuclear Energy with Jarrett Blanc 30.03.2026 52min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Jack sits down this week for a fascinating discission with long-time Washington policy practitioner and guru Jarrett Blanc. Jarrett works for one of the world’s leading nuclear companies, Cameco, which, alone, is impressive. But what makes his perspective unique is the career that led him to this point. Jarrett has held senior positions in the Departments of Energy and State, which have taken him to some of the world’s most interesting hotspots at some of the most interesting times. You can learn more about Cameco here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and you can see some of the facilities Jack and Jarrett discussed in our documentary, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Is Commercial Nuclear Cooperation with Saudi Arabia a Good Idea with Ted Jones 23.03.2026 50min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. With the conflict in the Middle East, is now really a good idea for the United States to be cooperating with Saudi Arabia on new commercial nuclear projects? Jack invites Ted Jones—The Nuclear Energy Institute’s Senior Director for National Security and International Programs—to discuss this very issue. Ted’s draws on years of experience in international commercial nuclear trade to provide insightful analysis to help us to answer this question. And Jack asks the tough questions, so you definitely want to give this one a listen if you want to know the risks and benefits of these sorts of trade deals. Check out the Nuclear Energy Institute for great information about nuclear energy. Here is a good resource to learn more details about United States-Saudi Arabia nuclear cooperation. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and don’t forget to check out our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Gas, Oil, and Ethanol Policy with Derrick Morgan 16.03.2026 51min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Join Jack today for a wide-ranging and topical discussion with Heritage Foundation Executive Vice President, Derrick Morgan. Jack invited Derrick on to the Power Hour to discuss a recent article he wrote in the Wall Street Journal on the ethanol mandate and why it is time to end the Renewable Fuel Standard. But given Derrick’s deep expertise in gas and oil policy, Jack couldn’t help to use the opportunity to dive into what’s happening in Iran and the impact of oil markets. Informed by years of working in all branches of government and in the private sector, and ground by principle, Derrick brings a unique perspective on all these issues. You can read Derrick’s recent article ⁠here⁠ and the rest of his great work ⁠here⁠. As always, you can join the conversation at ⁠thepowerhour@heritage.org⁠! Get Jack’s book, ⁠Nuclear Revolution⁠, and don’t forget to check out our nuclear energy documentary, ⁠Powering America⁠. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

What Is Happening to Gun Rights in Virginia with William K. Kirk 09.03.2026 53min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental (and Second Amendment)policy issues with top national experts. Join Jack today for something a little different—a discussion about how Virginia politicians are working overtime to undermine our right to bear arms. Jack’s guest this week is lawyer, Second Amendment attorney and educator, and all around awesome guy, William K. Kirk. You may know William from his successful YouTube channel, Washington Gun Law. Mr. Kirk publishes videos almost every day to keep viewers up to date on the latest legislative and policy proposals and what they mean for your gun rights. Jack and William cover the full spectrum of issues from why we have gun rights and why they matter to a free society and the specifics of what is happening in Virginia. You can check out William’s website here and his YouTube channel here. The Power Hour sincerely recommends William’s videos if you care at all about any of your Constitutional rights. His videos are the best. Check him out. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and don’t forget to check out our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Is Thorium the Answer to all our Nuclear Challenges with Michael Lee Anderson 02.03.2026 51min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Jack is going nuclear this week once again with his guest, Michael Lee Anderson, who specializes in thorium fueled molten salt reactors. Mike is an author and innovator with decades of experience in the private sector. Mike and Jack cover the horizon on molten salt technology. They discuss everything from how the technology works to why it makes sense in the marketplace to the types of regulatory changes that are necessary for nuclear to reach its potential. You can learn more about Mike and his work at his website Inov8r.org and definitely check out his book, Thorium Powered Abundance. After listening to this, you will definitely want to check out Kevin’s new book, which can be purchased here. You will also hear us reference our mutual friend and thorium God, Kirk Sorenson. You can check out one his videos here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and don’t forget to check out our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

Not Your Grandfather’s Geothermal Energy with Tim Lines 23.02.2026 1t

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Jack is joined this week by top energy expert, Tim Lines, CEO of Geothermal Wells, LLC for a fascinating discussion about the latest technological innovations around geothermal energy and how the technology can help solve the world’s energy problems. Tim describes how the technology works and why it can be applied to supply power for nearly any energy need. Not just a tech talk, Jack and Tim cover other issues as well, such as the economics of geothermal and the challenges to its broad deployment. You can learn more about Tim’s impressive background here and his company, Geothermal Wells, LLC here. After listening to this, you will definitely want to check out Kevin’s new book, which can be purchased here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Get Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and don’t forget to check out our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

What’s Really Driving the Climate Change Debate with Kevin Mooney 16.02.2026 49min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Jack is joined this week by journalist and author, Kevin Mooney, to discuss his hot off the presses book, Climate Porn: How and Why Anti-Population Zealots Fabricate Science, while Targeting American Capitalism, Freedom, and Independence. Kevin brings a whole new perspective to the climate change debate, delving into how policies are used to impact far more than climate. His background in journalism is clearly on display as uncovers many truths that you won’t want to miss. After listening to this, you will definitely want to check out Kevin’s new book, which can be purchased here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! And while you are picking up Kevin’s book, you might as well check out Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

How Green Energy Policies Are Failing America with Author Steve Goreham 09.02.2026 53min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Author Steve Goreham joins the Power Hour this week for a wide ranging conversation about all the ways that green energy policies are hurting America. Jack and Steve talk about the state of the climate change, powering AI, electric vehicles, and more. Having written multiple books on the subject, Steve brings unmatched insight into this important conversation. You can learn more about Steve here, you can check out his latest book here, and when you are done reading that, you can get the rest of his books here. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Check out Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America . Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

A Path Forward on Spent Nuclear Fuel Management with Lake Barrett 02.02.2026 58min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Join Jack for a wide-ranging discussion with one of the nations top nuclear energy experts, Lake Barrett. Whether it was as the on-site Director for the clean up of the Three Mile Island incident, overseeing the Department of Energy’s nuclear waste office, or advising the private sector on critical nuclear energy issues, Lake Barrett has done it all. Most recently he gathered, along with former NRC Chair Allison MacFarlane, a group of experts to develop a path forward for finally fixing the nation’s decades old nuclear waste conundrum. Lake discusses the new report, which can be found here, along with a bunch of other stories and insights that you don’t want to miss. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Check out Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America , which interestingly features Lake Barrett. Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.

How Green Subsidies Make Us Dependent on Chinese Minerals with Ben Lieberman 26.01.2026 50min

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the day’s most interesting energy and environmental policy issues with top national experts. Jack is joined this week by Ben Lieberman, Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Anchored by a discussion of his recent article describing how green energy subsidies artificially increase demand for Rare Earth Minerals, Ben and Jack cover a variety of issues including how government efficiency standard hurt American consumers and why made up, leftist “holidays” like “World Car-Free Day” are ridiculous. As always, you can join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Check out Jack’s book, Nuclear Revolution, and our nuclear energy documentary, Powering America . Thank you for listening and please don’t forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.