Meta announced yesterday that it is looking to invite proposals from nuclear power developers in a bid to achieve the company's ambitious artificial intelligence and environmental goals. The development positions the tech giant among the latest major companies venturing into atomic energy to face the surge in power demand soon.
Nuclear Energy Plans for the 2030s
The company announced it will build between 1 and 4 gigawatts of new nuclear generation capacity in the United States, starting in the early 2030s. To put that in perspective, a standard U.S. nuclear plant is about 1 gigawatt. Meta underscored its conviction that nuclear energy will be key to the shift toward a cleaner, more resilient, and more diverse electric grid.
Growing Energy Needs for U.S. Data Centers
According to Goldman Sachs, the energy consumption of U.S. data centers is expected to increase by nearly threefold between 2023 and 2030, and this will need an additional 47 gigawatts of generation capacity. This surge indicates the growing need for sustainable and reliable sources of energy to power the growing tech industry.
Collaborations in the Nuclear Energy Sector
Meta's announcement trails in the wake of many partnerships in the nuclear power arena by other tech companies. Early September, Microsoft and Constellation Energy agreed to restart a unit at the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania, this would be the first time restart has been done for data centre. In March, also Amazon bought a nuclear power operated data center from Talen Energy, as the case demonstrates, interest in nuclear is going up in the realm of tech.
It further announced that it is actually on the lookout for developers skilled in community engagement, project development, and permitting. The small modular reactors, which represent a newer and untested technology, are also well received alongside the larger nuclear reactors identical to those already operating in American nuclear plants. Meta would receive proposals until January 3, 2025.
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With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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