Episode #99
The New Case for Nuclear
What if the biggest obstacle to nuclear energy was never the technology — but the story? Jon Wentzel, Senior Vice President of Communications at the Nuclear Energy Institute, joins host Keith Zakheim to trace how nuclear messaging shifted from defending safety to explaining scale. "It's really changing the way we communicate about the solutions that we can provide," Wentzel says. He unpacks Wyoming's Kemmerer project, coal-to-nuclear job conversions, and why fuel security matters more than ever. For energy leaders and communicators: how do you build trust before the bulldozers arrive? Jon Wentzel is Senior Vice President of Communications at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), where he leads media relations, executive communications, digital strategy, and public affairs for the industry's national trade association. Before joining NEI in 2017, he spent roughly 25 years in large advertising and public relations firms, including a decade at Ogilvy, where he helped major brands shape their sustainability stories. Since arriving at NEI, Wentzel has helped guide the nuclear industry's communications through a pivotal era — from defending plant closures to messaging a genuine construction and innovation renaissance driven by demand growth, decarbonization, and energy security. In This Episode: (00:00) Introduction and guest Jon Wentzel's background (03:33) Jon Wentzel's career journey into nuclear (09:26) The central Age of Adoption question (10:34) Jon explains three inflection points reshaping nuclear industry communications (14:39) Community engagement, Wyoming's Kemmerer project, coal-to-nuclear jobs discussed (20:03) Energy resiliency, security, and how nuclear fuel refueling works Share with someone who would enjoy this topic, like and subscribe to hear all of our future episodes, send us your comments and guest suggestions! About the show: The Age of Adoption podcast explores the monumental transition from a period of social, economic, and environmental research and exploration – an Age of Innovation – to today's world in which companies across the economy are furiously deploying sustainable solutions – the Age of Adoption. Listen as our host, Keith Zakheim, CEO of Antenna Group, talks with experts from across the climate, energy, health, and real estate sectors to discuss what the transition means for business and society, and how corporates and startups can rise above competitors to lead in this new age. This podcast is brought to you by Antenna Group, a global marketing and communications agency that partners with Fully Conscious brands — those with the courage to lead transformative change across Climate & Energy, Real Estate, Health, and beyond. Our clients include visionary corporations, startups, investors, and nonprofits who recognize that meaningful impact requires more than awareness; it demands bold action. In today's Age of Adoption, where every sector must incorporate sustainable solutions into foundational systems, we amplify brands standing at the forefront of change, shaping a better future for our planet and its people. To learn more, visit antennagroup.com . Resources: Jon Wentzel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-wentzel-0a31bb1/ Nuclear Energy Institute: https://www.nei.org/ Antenna Group Keith Zakheim LinkedIn
