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