Excerpt from the feature documentary The Atomic States of America.
In 2010, the United States announced the construction of the first new nuclear power plant in over 32 years. Despite the known risks of utilizing nuclear power, our country's rapidly increasing energy needs are fueling a nuclear renaissance and America's long-stalled expansion of nuclear energy has been infused with new life. After the chaos at the Japanese Fukushima Power Plant, the fierce debate over the safety and viability of nuclear power was back in the public consciousness. Firsthand narratives from people connected to the nuclear industry blend with the behind-the-scenes debacle of maintaining legitimate regulation. The truths and myths of nuclear power are exposed, and the question of whether or not man can responsibly split the atom is posed.