Nuclear power remains the only carbon-free energy source that can reliably meet baseload demand, and shutting down plants like Germany did with its Energiewende has only pushed utilities back to coal. France generates over 70% of its electricity from nuclear and has one of the lowest carbon footprints per capita in Europe. Ageing reactors raise safety concerns, but newer designs like small modular reactors address many of those issues. Should we expand nuclear capacity as the pragmatic bridge to renewables, or does the waste problem make that an unacceptable gamble?