FP Virtual Dialogue: Toward Zero-Emission Power

Dr. Sama Bilbao y León became the Director General of World Nuclear Association in October 2020. Previously, and since June 2018, she was Head of the Division of Nuclear Technology Development and Economics at the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. In her role at the NEA, she led a team of analysts responsible for providing Member Countries with authoritative studies in the intersection of technology, innovation and economics in support of their energy policy decision-making. Since January 2020, she was also Head of the Technical Secretariat for the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). Sama is one of the seven founders of the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN), and served as Public Information Chair since its creation in 1999 until May 2005. Sama is also an active member of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) since 1995, both nationally and locally (VCU student section and Virginia local section). Her dedication to spreading the good news about nuclear earned her the ANS 2002 Public Communications Award. In 2007 she received the NA-YGN Founder Award, the highest award given to an NA-YGN member, which rewards leadership, vision and dedication. In 2007, and again in 2010, Sama was elected to the national Board of Directors of the American Nuclear Society. In 2011, she received the ANS Mary Jane Oestmann Women’s Achievement Award. In 2014 she received an ANS Presidential Citation for her continuous dedication to ANS. In 2018 she was presented with the W. Reed Johnson Award for Extraordinary Contributions to the Virginia Section of the ANS. Sama is also a member of SNE, ASME, ASEE, SWE and WiN.

Robert Bryce is an author, journalist, film producer, and podcaster. He is the acclaimed author of six books on energy and innovation, including most recently, A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of Nations. Bryce has given more than 400 invited or keynote lectures to groups ranging from the Marines Corps War College to the Sydney Institute as well as to a wide variety of associations, universities, and corporations. His books and articles have been translated into six languages. His articles have appeared in a panoply of publications including The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, Real Clear Energy, The Hill, Austin Chronicle, and Guardian. Bryce has also appeared on dozens of media outlets ranging from Fox News to Al Jazeera. He is also the host of the Power Hungry Podcast and the co-producer of the feature-length documentary: Juice: How Electricity Explains the World, which is available on iTunes, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services. Bryce has testified before the U.S. Congress six times, including three times in 2021. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Lorin, who is an art teacher, photographer, and master potter.

Since 2008, Mohamed Al Hammadi has led the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) in successfully delivering the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program, focusing on the implementation of the highest national regulations and international standards of safety, security, quality, transparency and non-proliferation. Al Hammadi's management responsibilities include leading the organization in powering the future growth of the UAE through the safe and efficient deployment of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the UAE and Arab World’s first nuclear energy plant. With two of the four Units currently operational, the Barakah Plant is the first multi-unit operational nuclear plant in the region. It is the single largest electricity generator in the UAE and the Arab World, leading the largest decarbonization effort in the region, creating a stable foundation for the expansion of renewable energy sources. Al Hammadi is directing the implementation of ENEC’s nuclear energy research and development program, exploring opportunities for the future of nuclear science and technology in the UAE such as for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and the production of green hydrogen, as well as the continued knowledge transfer for the establishment of a local nuclear supply chain in the UAE. ENEC also manages all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle to ensure a secure and reliable supply of nuclear fuel assemblies for the Barakah Plant, in alignment with UAE law and international standards and agreements. Al Hammadi sits on the ENEC Board of Directors as part of its best practise governance framework. He leads ENEC and oversees its Joint Venture subsidiaries: Nawah Energy Company, which is responsible for operating and maintaining the Barakah plant, and Barakah One Company, which manages the financial and commercial interests of the project. Over 3,000 people work across the organizations, spanning over 50 nationalities, making it one of the most multicultural and multinational energy projects globally. Al Hammadi has a strong background in power and utility projects, including management, construction, finance and administration. Prior to joining ENEC, Al Hammadi was General Manager of the UAE Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) where he led a transformational management process focused on the implementation of best practices and international standards to the authority. Al Hammadi is a member of the World Association of Nuclear Operators' (WANO) Governing Board of its Atlanta Center. Mohamed is a member of the American Nuclear Society, and the Project Management Institute (USA). He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (USA), the International Council on Large Electric Systems, and the Engineers Association of the UAE. In 2019, Ajou University in South Korea recognized Al Hammadi’s vision of the future of the electricity with an Honorary Doctorate, becoming one of eight leaders to receive such as prestigious accolade in the history of the university. Al Hammadi gained his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and his Master of Science degree in Engineering Management, both from the Florida Institute of Technology, USA.

Ted Nordhaus is a leading global thinker on energy, environment, climate, human development, and politics. He is the founder and executive director of the Breakthrough Institute and a co-author of An Ecomodernist Manifesto.
Over the last decade, he has helped lead a paradigm shift in climate, energy, and environmental policy. He was among the first to emphasize the imperative to "make clean energy cheap" in The Harvard Law and Policy Review, explained why efforts to establish legally binding international limits on greenhouse gas emissions would fail in The Washington Post and Democracy Journal, made the case for nuclear energy as a critical global warming solution in The Wall Street Journal, has written on the limits to energy efficiency and the need to prepare for climate change in The New York Times, and has argued for the importance of intensifying agricultural production in order to spare land for forests and biodiversity in Scientific American and The Guardian.
His 2007 book Break Through, co-authored with Michael Shellenberger, was called "prescient" by Time and "the best thing to happen to environmentalism since Rachel Carson's Silent Spring" by Wired. (An excerpt in The New Republic can be read here.) Their 2004 essay, "The Death of Environmentalism," was featured on the front page of the Sunday New York Times, sparked a national debate, and inspired a generation of young environmentalists.

Dr. David Victor is a professor of innovation and public policy at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego. He is the Center for Global Transformation Endowed Chair in Innovation and Public Policy. Victor is also the Co-director of the campus-wide Deep Decarbonization Initiative, which focuses on real world strategies for bringing the world to nearly zero emissions of warming gases. Victor is also an adjunct professor in Climate, Atmospheric Science & Physical Oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Prior to joining the faculty at UC San Diego, Victor was a professor at Stanford Law School where he taught energy and environmental law. His research focuses on regulated industries and how regulation affects the operation of major energy markets. Much of his research is at the intersection of climate change science and policy. Victor authored "Global Warming Gridlock," which explains why the world hasn't made much diplomatic progress on the problem of climate change while also exploring new strategies that would be more effective. The book was recognized by The Economist as one of the best books of 2011. Victor was a convening lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations-sanctioned international body with 195 country members that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Victor has been tapped by Southern California Edison to lead the company’s Community Engagement Panel for decommissioning of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. According to utility officials, he was chosen to lead the panel because he has the vision, leadership and experience to bring together a diverse group of concerned people. Victor, in 2016, was appointed to Co-Chair, The Brookings Institution, Initiative on Energy and Climate. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Energy, where his work focuses on the role of natural gas as a transition fuel to deep decarbonization as well as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In 2020, Victor was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the oldest and most esteemed honorary societies in the nation. At UC San Diego, Victor and researchers at the Deep Decarbonization Initiative work at the intersection of science, technology and policy. They are focused on helping the world cut emissions of warming gases given the very real technology, economic and political constraints that exist.

Neil Wilmshurst is Senior Vice President of Energy SystemResources for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).He has overall management and technical responsibility for the research and development activities conducted by EPRI with its global membership related to all generation sources and storage. In August 2021, Wilmshurst became Chair of the World Energy Council (WEC) US Member Committee.The US Member Committee is hosted by EPRI, and represents innovators, leaders, and disruptors in the US energy community, bringing their voices to the global community of WEC. From 2010-2020, when he was EPRI’s Chief Nuclear Officer, the nuclear sector global membership expanded to encompass more than 80% of the world’s commercial nuclear fleet. The 2011 Fukushima event created unique technical needs and a demand for unprecedented collaboration in an industry that already practiced superb teamwork. EPRI responded with its Japan-based nuclear tech staff and immediately added more research talent. Wilmshurst reinforced EPRI’s industry role after the event: “Our reputation for reliable performance and credibility as an independent organization supporting the industry was paramount. Our focus has always been delivering on our promises, stretching ourselves and providing crucial technical analysis when and where they are needed in the industry. Our unique position proved during this challenging time EPRI couldpositively assist the industry and Japan as it recovered from the Fukushima event.” Professional background Wilmshurst joined EPRI in 2003 as a Senior Project Manager in the Plant Support Engineering program. In 2008, he became Director of the Plant Technology department, and was appointed as Vice President, Nuclear and Chief Nuclear Officer in 2010. In November 2020 he was appointed to his current role. Before joining EPRI, Wilmshurst worked in a variety of nuclear utility engineering and maintenance roles with AmerGen at Three Mile Island Unit 1 and British Energy at the Sizewell Bplant. Prior to joining the civil nuclear program, Wilmshurst served for 13 years in the Royal Navy as a Nuclear Submarine Engineer Officer. Wilmshurst earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, and control engineering from the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon, UK; a post graduate diploma in nuclear reactor technology from the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, UK; and a master’s degree in defense administration from Cranfield Institute of Technology, Shrivenham, UK. While serving in the Royal Navy he was certified as a Naval Nuclear Plant Operator

Reena is a television journalist who has worked as a White House correspondent, foreign reporter, and news anchor for ABC, CBS, and Fox News. She has reported around the world from India to Israel, Libya to Lebanon. She was the anchor, most recently, of the CBS evening news on Saturday nights. She is the founder of Good Trouble Productions, a media company focused on creating content with purpose.