Nuking Data Centers for 20 Years: Tech Giants Go Nuclear
Group Discussing Two Decade Nuclear Energy Agreement on Facebook
Hey there! You might be surprised to hear that Facebook's parent company, Meta, is diving headfirst into nuclear power. For the next two decades, Meta will gobble up all the juice from a nuclear power plant in Illinois, thanks to a deal with the plant's operator, Constellation Energy.
Sure, you're wondering why the heck a tech company needs nuclear power, right? Well, it's all about artificial intelligence (AI) and clouds - the fluffier, more powerful, and more energy-guzzling, the better. AI software requires a ton of data center activity, and that means a whole lotta electricity.
But Meta isn't alone in this atomic endeavor. Several tech heavyweights are hopping on the nuclear bandwagon. Microsoft, for instance, has joined forces with Constellation Energy, aiming to revive the decommissioned Three Mile Island plant. Google is planning to buy energy from state-of-the-art, tiny reactors cooked up by Kairos Power, while Amazon is dabbling in nuclear investments and exploring small modular reactors.
Oh, and did you know about Oracle getting into nuclear power options, including those teeny-tiny reactors we were just talking about? It seems like every big-time tech company is jumping on the nuclear power trend, looking for a reliable, eco-friendly source of energy to keep their data centers humming and their AI dreams alive.
Source: ntv.de, dpa
Fun Fact: Did you know that a single Google search consumes the same amount of energy as displaying a webpage for 3 seconds on a computer monitor? Now, imagine that on a massive scale for AI!
Additional Insights:- Microsoft: Microsoft’s foray into nuclear power includes partnerships like the Crane Clean Energy Center to help restart the Three Mile Island Unit 1 site.- Google: Google is not only signing power purchase agreements for advanced reactors but also collaborating with Elementl Power for project sites.- Amazon: Amazon has pledged $500 million for nuclear power company X-energy and is exploring small modular reactors.- Oracle: Oracle is also jumping on the nuclear power bandwagon, investigating SMRs and other nuclear solutions.
The Commission might also be consulted on the draft directive related to the protection of workers from the risks stemming from exposure to ionizing radiation in the industry, finance, energy, and technology sectors, given the increasing use of nuclear energy in data centers, especially among tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Oracle.
As more tech companies invest in nuclear power, the importance of safety regulations to protect workers from radiation risk becomes increasingly relevant, considering the potential long-term consequences of ionizing radiation exposure.
