The growing demand for energy to train the large language models behind artificial intelligence has led major technology companies to seek more reliable and sustainable energy sources. In this context, Microsoft has decided to go for nuclear energy as a solution to power its data centers.
The tech giant recently signed a major deal with Constellation Energy, a nuclear plant operator, to acquire power from the Three Mile Island Unit 1 nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. This plant, which was shut down in 2019 due to declining demand for nuclear power, will be restored thanks to a $1.6 billion investment by Constellation, with the goal of reactivating it by 2028, provided regulatory approval is obtained.
A long-term commitment to clean energy
Microsoft has agreed to purchase all the power produced by the reactor for the next 20 years, which will ensure that its data centers have a reliable, carbon-free source of energy. Once restored, the reactor will have a capacity of 835 megawatts.
The plant will also be renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center (CCEC), in honor of former Constellation CEO Chris Crane, who passed away in April this year. According to an economic report, the plant will contribute significantly to Pennsylvania's economy, creating 3,400 direct and indirect jobs, adding $16 billion to the state's GDP and generating more than $3 billion in state and federal taxes.
Constellation president and CEO Joe Dominguez stressed in a statement the importance of having a reliable, carbon-free energy source to power critical industries, such as data centers. "Nuclear plants are the only energy sources that can consistently deliver on that promise," Dominguez said.
The resurgence of nuclear power in the age of AI
Microsoft is not the only tech company that is resorting to nuclear power to power its data centers. Amazon acquired a nuclear-powered data center in Pennsylvania for $650 million in March this year, and OpenAI has expressed the need for a nuclear-powered energy revolution.
Rising demand for electricity to power data centers, electric vehicles and factories is driving a renaissance in nuclear power, with growing interest in nuclear fusion technologies. This technology, which uses hydrogen as fuel, is presented as a cleaner and more powerful option compared to traditional nuclear fission, which relies on elements such as uranium and plutonium.
