'We have harnessed the power of the atom:' Enron parody unveils at-home nuclear reactor
Enron has unveiled a new product a month after the infamous and defunct company was resurrected − apparently for fun − by one of the guys behind the satirical "Birds Aren't Real" conspiracy theory.
The parody company announced the "historic reveal" of the Enron Egg, "the world's first at-home nuclear reactor," in an X post on Monday.
Enron re-entered the public consciousness in early December with the launch of Enron.com, two decades after the American energy company was sullied by fraud and some of its top executives were sent to prison. The website was launched on the 23rd anniversary of the company's bankruptcy filing along with a press release and an official-looking promo video.
The materials, which at first glance seemed to signal a rebranding, instead ended up being an elaborate joke. Not only was Connor Gaydos of "Birds Aren't Real" fame involved, but the company's own terms and conditions say the website is "protected parody" for "entertainment purposes only."
In a five-minute clip, Gaydos, playing an Enron CEO, claimed the Enron egg was going to revolutionize the power industry, the independence industry and the freedom industry. Gaydos also says Enron has partnered with FEMA to provide nuclear eggs to rapid response teams all over the world.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have harnessed the power of the atom," Gaydos said. "Introducing the Enron Egg, the world's first micro-nuclear reactor for residential suburban use." The little device, according to Gaydos, has the ability to power a home for 10 continuous years.
Public documents first found by CNN show that the Arkansas-based company behind the Enron trademark purchase is owned by Connor Gaydos, who, along with Peter McIndoe, created the mock “Birds Aren’t Real” conspiracy theory.
The joke conspiracy is meant to satirize the spread of misinformation by proliferating the false idea that the U.S. government wiped out birds and replaced the animals with drones to spy on Americans.
Gaydos' LLC, The College Company, bought the Enron trademark in 2020 for $275, the documents show. The website's terms list the Enron relaunch as "performance art."
The Enron Egg is a "compact nuclear reactor that uses Uranium-Zirconium Hydride (U-ZrH) fuel rods to generate heat through nuclear fission," according to the Enron website. "This heat is transferred via a 3D-printed Inconel heat exchanger, powering a turbine to generate electricity. A closed-loop cooling system ensures safe operation without environmental contamination."
No price was listed for the Enron Egg, but the company says it is "significantly more affordable than traditional energy systems." Interested parties may preorder the Enron Egg by signing up for Enron's email newsletter.
Enron was a Houston, Texas-based energy, commodities, and services company. In 2001, Enron collapsed in a market-shaking bankruptcy amid revelations that the company had grossly overstated its earnings. The financial implosion victimized tens of thousands of employees and investors.
Some got prison sentences, including CEO Jeffrey Skilling and CFO Andrew Fastow.
Kenneth Lay, Enron's former chairman, died of a heart attack in 2006, one month after his career ended with a criminal conviction for lying to investors about the company's finances.
