Meta is making sure it can handle the energy requirements of AI: The social media giant is signing a deal with a nuclear power plant in Illinois.
It’s no secret that modern innovations in AI have put a serious strain on energy infrastructure around the world. The technology uses quite a bit of power and amount of the water needed to cool data systems is nothing if not problematic.
That’s why Meta is planning for the future by inking a deal with a nuclear plant that could help power its AI aspirations over the next two decades.
Meta Signs Deal for Nuclear Power Plant
Announced on Tuesday, Meta has signed a deal with Constellation Energy that secures the company rights to a nuclear power plant in Illinois. The deal will be in place for 20 years, starting in June 2027.
The plant was supposed to close in 2017 due to consistent losses at the company, but it was saved by a zero-emission credit program in Illinois, which is set to expire in, you guessed it, June 2027.
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The financial specifics of the deal were not disclosed, but they stated that the move would expand energy output from the plant by 30 megawatts, as well as preserve 1,100 local jobs and net $13.5 million in annual tax revenue.
Why Did Meta Buy a Nuclear Power Plant?
Meta didn’t mince words when providing an explanation for why the company just signed a deal to gain access to a nuclear power plant.
“Securing clean, reliable energy is necessary to continue advancing our AI ambitions.” – Urvi Parekh, head of global energy at Meta
That one wasn’t hard to guess. AI has some serious energy requirements that are going to need alternative solutions in the coming years. In fact, some estimates say that AI will require quadruple the energy output by 2030, so it’s safe to say nuclear power plants will have to get on board.
Big Tech Is Going Nuclear
Meta isn’t the first tech company to get on the nuclear bandwagon in an attempt to make powering AI a bit easier. In fact, the big four tech companies have all signed deals to go nuclear in the last few months.
In October 2024, Google signed a deal with Kairos Energy to power 500MW of energy by 2035. That same month, Amazon signed three separate deals to advance its nuclear energy arsenal.
“Nuclear is a safe source of carbon-free energy that can help power our operations and meet the growing demands of our customers, while helping us progress toward our Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040.” – Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Given the energy demands of AI, it’s good to see that the tech industry is at least wary of burning through fossil fuels indefinitely to keep it going. Still, let’s hope they take these nuclear deals more seriously than the AI they’re using it to advance.
