As data centers gobble up more energy than ever, major players in the tech world are looking to nuclear power as a way to keep their massive operations running efficiently and reduce carbon emissions. Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are exploring nuclear energy to power their ever-expanding data infrastructure, particularly as demand skyrockets due to artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services.
Microsoft’s recent deal to source power from the dormant Three Mile Island nuclear plant is a striking example of how these companies are investing in the future of nuclear energy. The plan to bring the plant back online by 2028 is the first attempt to revive a shuttered facility in the U.S. Amazon, meanwhile, secured a $650 million agreement for a data center that will draw energy from the Susquehanna Nuclear plant, one of the country’s largest facilities.
AI’s Growing Energy Appetite
The rise of AI is one of the main reasons for this shift in energy sourcing. Data centers dedicated to AI applications are consuming more electricity than ever before. Google’s carbon emissions, for example, shot up by nearly 50% between 2019 and 2023 as a result of AI’s energy demands. Despite the tech industry’s push toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, companies are finding it harder to keep those promises without exploring more robust energy alternatives.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged the challenge during a recent interview, stating that the company’s growing investments in AI have made the task of cutting emissions much larger. Though Google has long invested in renewable energy sources like solar, it’s now looking into other options, including small modular reactors (SMRs), to power its operations.
Small Modular Reactors: A Possible Solution
SMRs are at the heart of this renewed interest in nuclear power. Unlike traditional reactors, which are expensive and time-consuming to build, SMRs are smaller and designed to be more adaptable to fluctuating energy demands. The first advanced SMR design was approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission last year, marking a major step toward making this technology a reality.
Companies like Microsoft are eyeing these reactors as a long-term solution for powering their data centers, with Bill Gates’s TerraPower leading the charge in SMR development. Gates has publicly supported nuclear energy as a key way to address global energy challenges, emphasizing its potential to provide clean, reliable power.
Last September we reported that Microsoft was actively seeking to hire a Principal Program Manager of Nuclear Technology. The new role to emphasize “maturing and implementing a global small modular reactor (SMR) and microreactor energy strategy” to power the company’s data centers. This initiative follows Microsoft’s procurement of Clean Energy Credits (CECs) from Ontario Power Generation (OPG) last year, which included power from traditional nuclear sources.
Additionally, Microsoft’s recent agreement with Helion Energy reflects its broader strategy to invest in cutting-edge nuclear technologies, including the prospect of nuclear fusion. Helion Energy sets out to construct what could be the world’s first operational fusion power plant, ambitiously expected to produce electricity by 2028.
Microsoft later appointed Archana “Archie” Manoharan as director of nuclear technologies. Manoharan, an energy industry veteran with over 15 years of experience, joins the tech giant coming from a notable tenure at Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), where she was instrumental in developing Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) technologies and engaged with the Department of Energy (DOE) loan program applications.
Challenges Ahead for Nuclear Energy
Although tech companies are optimistic about nuclear power, the industry still faces hurdles. Restarting old plants and building new reactors requires navigating strict regulatory processes, and public opposition remains strong in some areas. Accidents like those at Fukushima and Three Mile Island have left a lasting impression, making some communities wary of nuclear energy.
Additionally, the unresolved issue of radioactive waste and its safe storage adds another layer of complexity. Amazon’s nuclear ambitions have already sparked resistance in Pennsylvania, where critics fear that the company’s energy needs could raise electricity costs for residents. Beyond that, the environmental impact of uranium mining, which fuels nuclear reactors, continues to generate concern among local communities.
Nevertheless, the rising demand for electricity driven by AI, electric vehicles, and manufacturing may ultimately propel nuclear energy forward. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Energy suggests that nuclear capacity in the country could triple by 2050. This potential growth could help overcome many of the financial and political challenges that have plagued the nuclear industry for years.
Last Updated on November 7, 2024 2:39 pm CET
