How nuclear energy piggybacks off rise of AI technologies

While sensational claims about robots potentially taking over the world often dominate discussions regarding artificial intelligence, a more pressing concern is the immense energy demand of this transformative technology. For instance, a single query to ChatGPT, which has significantly increased public engagement with AI, is estimated to use ten times more energy than a comparable Google search. Only recently US President-elect Donald Trump announced that Emirati real estate giant Damac Properties plans to invest at least $20 billion in building new data centers across the United States, raising important questions about countries' energy capacities to support the advancing technological shift.

Data centers, crucial for AI operations, currently consume about 1% of global electricity. However, projections suggest this could rise to 8% in the US by 2030, driven by AI's proliferation. According to an article by The National, this has prompted innovative energy solutions, such as Microsoft’s agreement with Constellation Energy to source power from the restarted Unit 1 nuclear reactor at Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island (TMI). Notably, TMI was the site of a 1979 nuclear accident, which still casts a long shadow over discussions of nuclear energy.

Microsoft’s agreement represents the largest power purchase deal of its kind, aimed at supporting the energy demands of its data centers. While proponents of nuclear energy tout its carbon-free, 24/7 reliability, the article recalls that critics highlight safety, environmental, and economic concerns. The TMI Unit 1 reactor, decommissioned in 2019, is being revived under a broader nuclear energy resurgence in the US, supported by government subsidies and tech companies like Alphabet, Amazon, and Oracle exploring small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) for powering data centers.

Nuclear Energy's promise vs controversy

Nuclear energy has seen renewed interest globally due to its potential to support digital economies and address climate concerns. It offers a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, creates long-term jobs, and boosts local economies. Proponents argue that nuclear plants can reliably produce clean energy in all weather conditions and operate for years without refueling. However, critics like Eric Epstein, director of Three Mile Island Alert, contend that nuclear energy’s safety risks and dependency on federal subsidies make it an economic and environmental liability.

Epstein told the publication of the unresolved issues at TMI, such as lingering radioactive waste from the 1979 accident and Unit 1’s planned reopening. He questions the prioritization of powering distant data centers over addressing local energy needs, framing it as a misuse of taxpayer dollars. Epstein also critiques Constellation’s rebranding of TMI as the “Crane Clean Energy Center” as an attempt to erase its troubled history.

The debate over nuclear energy underscores broader concerns about how to meet the growing energy needs of AI without exacerbating environmental or safety risks. While nuclear energy is cleaner than coal, past disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima fuel public skepticism. As AI becomes a national priority, the push for energy solutions may overshadow caution, the article warns, with nuclear energy emerging as a contentious yet viable option.

Constellation expects TMI’s Unit 1 to restart by 2028, pending regulatory approval. Meanwhile, critics like Epstein remain steadfast in opposing nuclear energy’s expansion, emphasizing safety, transparency, and local accountability. The intersection of AI’s energy demands and nuclear power’s resurgence highlights the tension between technological progress and sustainable, responsible energy solutions.

By Nazrin Sadigova