What will power the grid in 2035? The race is wide open

The article explores the evolving landscape of power generation leading up to 2035, highlighting a competitive race among energy technologies to replace or supplement natural gas as the primary source of baseload power. Natural gas currently remains the favored option due to its affordability, reliability, and widespread availability. However, geopolitical risks—such as Iranian drone strikes on Qatar’s natural gas infrastructure—and supply chain delays threaten its dominance. These vulnerabilities have spurred significant investment and interest in advanced nuclear technologies, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs), and fusion power startups. SMRs, which adapt proven fission reactor designs, are seen as the most viable near-term alternative to natural gas, with companies like Kairos Power, Oklo, X-energy, and TerraPower aiming to have operational reactors within the decade. These reactors promise to provide reliable, scalable power but must achieve economies of scale to be cost-competitive. Meanwhile, fusion power, though less mature, offers the potential for vast energy output using abundant fuel sources like seawater