Facebook parent Meta wanted to run an AI data center using nuclear energy, but the discovery of a rare species of bee thwarted the company’s plans. In other places, however, opponents of nuclear power have less (indirect) luck.
Mark Zuckerberg’s company Meta suffered a setback in its AI ambitions, or rather their power supply. The plan to power a new AI data center with nuclear energy failed due to unexpected obstacles. In addition to regulatory hurdles, the discovery of a rare bee species on the planned construction site played a crucial role.
As the Financial Times reports, Zuckerberg had planned to partner with an existing nuclear power plant operator. The aim was to obtain ’emission-free’ electricity for the new data center. In a staff meeting, the Meta CEO expressed frustration with the limited nuclear energy options in the United States compared to China. Despite the setback, Meta remains open to future nuclear energy deals.
The company continues to explore various carbon-free energy options. Meta’s competitors have already made progress in this regard. Amazon, Google and Microsoft have recently entered into agreements with nuclear power plant operators to use this form of energy generation to meet the increasing energy needs of their data centers.
Google is taking a particularly innovative approach. The company has placed an order for six to seven small modular reactors (SMR) from US start-up Kairos Power. This makes Google the first tech company to commission new nuclear power plants. The first such facility is expected to go into operation in 2030. Amazon also relies on SMR technology.
The e-commerce giant has signed three agreements to use SMRs to decarbonize its data centers and servers. Microsoft, on the other hand, plans to revive the decommissioned Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania.
These forays into a form of power plant that has long been frowned upon show that the tech industry is increasingly looking to nuclear energy as a solution to its energy problems. However, this technology also poses well-known risks and challenges: Critics warn about the dangers of radioactive waste, and there are also high initial investments for nuclear power plants.
