Every successful nuclear energy project depends on more than technology, financing, and regulation. It depends on people.

As the nuclear industry embarks on a new era of growth, we must ask ourselves and answer: How do you earn and sustain the trust and support of the communities asked to host new nuclear infrastructure?

In this special Critical Questions session, attendees will gather in an intimate, in-the-round setting to explore a single issue that will shape the future of nuclear development. Rather than a traditional panel discussion, this conversation brings together leaders who have firsthand experience building relationships, navigating local concerns, and creating lasting partnerships between communities and the energy industry.

Moderated by Kati Austgen of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the discussion will feature:

• Shay Lundvall, Mayor of Gillette, Wyoming
• Spence Udall, Mayor of St. Johns, Arizona
• Chuck Hope, Chair, Energy Communities Alliance and Oak Ridge, Tennessee City Council Member
• VA Stephens, Consumers Energy Alliance
• Emily Nichols, Community and Tribal Engagement Manager, Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear

Together, they will share lessons learned from communities at the center of America's energy future and tackle the opportunities and challenges that come with welcoming major infrastructure investments. Expect candid perspectives, practical insights, and an engaging exchange that invites participants to think beyond project development and consider what it truly takes to become a trusted community partner.

This is not a conversation about siting nuclear facilities. It is a conversation about building the relationships that make those facilities possible.