Booming Nuclear Power Agreements: Silicon Valley's Newest Energy Alliance
Group Negotiating Two Decades of Nuclear Power Partnership on Facebook
Facebook's parent company, Meta, has just nabbed a sweet 20-year nuclear power deal. This energy bonanza comes courtesy of Constellation Energy in good ol' Illinois, USA. With this deal, Meta will be sucking up the whole nuclear power plant's output, ensuring its data centers keep chugging along even after subsidies dry up—a move that was initially set to shut down the plant back in 2017.
Why the nuclear power rush? Well, Meta, like other tech heavyweights, are heavy hitters in the artificial intelligence arena. AI software requires a whole lotta electricity to train and operate.
Joining the nuclear power bandwagon, Microsoft is set to revive the decommissioned Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to fuel its data centers. The revival plans aim to pump out over 800 MW of clean power by 2028, all to sate Microsoft's data-chomping appetite. Google, meanwhile, is eyeing nuclear energy from innovative small reactors developed by Kairos Power, with purchases set to commence in 2030. Amazon is making move after move in this sector, investing heavily in similar technologies.
Sources: ntv.de, dpa
Deeper Dive:
In the tech world, heavyweights like Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are increasingly leaning on nuclear power as a clean and dependable source of energy to power their data centers, particularly for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Here's a lowdown on their strategies:
Meta (Facebook)
- Nuclear Power Deal: Signed a 20-year deal with Constellation Energy for nuclear power to fuel its AI and computing needs. This deal ensures long-term operations at a plant without relying on ratepayer support[1][2].
- Data Center Investments: plowed over $1 billion into its DeKalb Data Center in Illinois, a move to power its AI ambitions[2].
Microsoft
- Three Mile Island Revival: Set to revive the dormant Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to provide power to its data centers in the coming years[1][4].
- Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Investigating the use of SMRs and microreactors for its global data center network, with pilot projects planned for 2025[4].
- Investments in Nuclear Energy: Announced investments in three advanced nuclear energy projects with Elementl Power. Additionally, it made similar announcements on SMRs following Amazon's lead[1][2].
- Advanced Reactor Support: Committed to supporting the development of new nuclear technologies to meet its computing needs[1].
Amazon
- SMR Partnerships: Partnering with nuclear developers to explore the deployment of SMRs near its data centers, aiming to deploy 5 GW by 2040. Invested $500 million in X-Energy's SMR project in Washington state[4].
- Net-Zero Goals: Aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, with nuclear power set to play a key role in reducing its carbon footprint[4].
These investments underscore the tech industry's shift towards nuclear energy as a crucial component in powering their data centers while aligning with sustainability goals.
The Commission has been consulted on the draft directive regarding the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, given the increased involvement of the industry, finance, energy, and technology sectors in nuclear power generation.
Meta's 20-year nuclear power deal with Constellation Energy is a testament to the growing alliance between the tech sector, particularly Silicon Valley, and the energy industry, with an emphasis on the technology's role in powering artificial intelligence applications.
