A World First in Chesterfield County: Nuclear Fusion

VPM | By Rich Meagher

Published March 27, 2025 at 12:57 PM EDT

What is nuclear fusion, and why is it coming to Chesterfield County? Virginia’s energy needs are growing exponentially, and we are going to need every kilowatt we can get if we don’t want our energy bills to grow with them.
Adam Sledd of the Dominion Energy Innovation Center returns to the pod to talk with Rich about nuclear fusion, data centers, and the future of RVA’s energy – and energy bills.
Plus: we go to the James River Park System to talk with an expert about the problem of invasive species, and hear from an all-natural, four-legged solution.Please subscribe to RVA’s Got Issues to stay informed about the issues shaping our communities. Listen to all episodes at www.rvasgotissues.vpm.org.

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Rich Meagher

Richard J. Meagher [pronounced MARR] is Professor of Political Science, Director of Social Entrepreneurship at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, and the host of RVA's Got Issues.

Meagher is an expert observer of local and state politics in Richmond and has been featured everywhere from print to television to radio. He is a political analyst for WRIC 8 News, and his commentary and opinion have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and his own RVAPolitics site.

He is also a Faculty Fellow for Brandeis University’s Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation (ENACT), a national program engaging undergraduates in state-level legislative change. Meagher's 2020 book, Local Politics Matters, argues for the importance of participation in city and county politics.

In 2023, he launched the Virginia Amendments Project, a resource for scholars and citizens about amendments to the Constitution of Virginia.

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