Nuclear Barbarians

Author: Emmet Penney

Emmet Penney talks to experts, workers, journalists, and scholars from all over the world about nuclear energy, energy issues, culture, and society. Subscribe to the substack to get the newsletter and the podcast sent directly to your inbox: https://nuclearbarians.substack.com/ www.nuclearbarbarians.com
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Language: en

Genres: Science, Technology

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Perpetuating the Nuclear Lifecycle Ft. Ken Rueter (UCOR)
Episode 95
Thursday, 13 November, 2025

One of the best parts of running this podcast is the chance to learn about aspects of the nuclear industry I know little about. Today’s guest, the President and CEO of United Clean Up Oak Ridge, taught me all about remediating nuclear sites. UCOR, the DOE’s contractor for the Oak Ridge Reservation, boasts an impressive suite of expertise and logistical acumen dedicated to turning over former Manhattan Project sites for civilian and government use. Ken broke down the steps of remediation and the heavy machinery needed (including robots!) to deliver on these projects. I really appreciated the beauty of his vision: remediating Manhattan project sites to spur the nuclear renaissance. This episode brought out the little kid in me. A huge thank you to Ken for making the time for our discussion. You can learn more about UCOR here.