Is nuclear energy safe, or unsafe? Too expensive to deploy, or too cheap to meter? Putting populations at risk, or saving Planet A? There is space for even another elephant in the nuclear room, in the era of reverse globalisation: is nuclear energy a useful geo-political lever for hegemons, or a shield in times of energy warfare for the meek? In this article, project developer/nuclear adviser and ex-banker David Stearns sheds light on the uncanny staying power of nuclear energy. But staying power is not sustainability, so it is necessary to review the legacy business model to assess who actually benefits from nuclear energy. A realignment of costs, risks and benefits is needed to ensure the industry’s as-yet untested financial sustainability.