Meta, the social media giant behind Facebook and Instagram, has made significant strides in its pursuit to harness nuclear energy to power its AI infrastructure. The company's latest agreements with power companies Vistra, TerraPower, and Oklo aim to deliver approximately 6.6 gigawatts of electricity by 2035.
The deals will support the development of two new reactors capable of generating up to 690 megawatts, set to come online as early as 2032, courtesy of TerraPower's innovative "Natrium" reactors that utilize sodium instead of water as a coolant. In addition, Meta has secured rights to energy from six other reactors that could deliver an additional 2.1 gigawatts by the same deadline.
A partnership with Oklo will bring 1.2 gigawatts of nuclear power online by 2030, creating thousands of jobs in Ohio according to Meta. Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman owns just over 4 percent of the company and has significant stakes in the deal.
In contrast, Meta's agreement with Vistra focuses on extending the lifespan of existing nuclear plants, while also boosting their output through new 20-year deals worth more than 2.1 gigawatts of electricity. The added capacity is expected to come online in the early 2030s and will support Meta's growing AI ambitions.
This significant push into nuclear energy reflects the increasing reliance on clean power sources by tech giants like Meta, as evident in its recent 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy for nuclear power. Meanwhile, Microsoft has taken a bold step by reopening the infamous Three Mile Island plant and securing it as its sole customer under a 20-year deal.
These developments underscore the pivotal role that nuclear energy will play in powering the tech sector's AI aspirations, paving the way for a more sustainable future amidst growing concerns over climate change.
The deals will support the development of two new reactors capable of generating up to 690 megawatts, set to come online as early as 2032, courtesy of TerraPower's innovative "Natrium" reactors that utilize sodium instead of water as a coolant. In addition, Meta has secured rights to energy from six other reactors that could deliver an additional 2.1 gigawatts by the same deadline.
A partnership with Oklo will bring 1.2 gigawatts of nuclear power online by 2030, creating thousands of jobs in Ohio according to Meta. Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman owns just over 4 percent of the company and has significant stakes in the deal.
In contrast, Meta's agreement with Vistra focuses on extending the lifespan of existing nuclear plants, while also boosting their output through new 20-year deals worth more than 2.1 gigawatts of electricity. The added capacity is expected to come online in the early 2030s and will support Meta's growing AI ambitions.
This significant push into nuclear energy reflects the increasing reliance on clean power sources by tech giants like Meta, as evident in its recent 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy for nuclear power. Meanwhile, Microsoft has taken a bold step by reopening the infamous Three Mile Island plant and securing it as its sole customer under a 20-year deal.
These developments underscore the pivotal role that nuclear energy will play in powering the tech sector's AI aspirations, paving the way for a more sustainable future amidst growing concerns over climate change.