Xavier Becerra, the front-runner to be the next governor of California, has declined to spell out a clear stance on nuclear power, even as momentum grows within his Democratic Party and around the country to embrace the carbon-free energy source.

Nuclear power is enjoying renewed interest thanks to soaring energy demand and the imperative to boost the development of artificial intelligence. Both of those are particularly acute considerations in California, which has high electricity prices and is home to Silicon Valley.

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