Meta‘s new nuclear power deal marks a significant shift in how tech giants are powering AI infrastructure, highlighting a growing trend of partnerships between technology companies and nuclear energy providers. This agreement not only salvages a struggling nuclear facility but also represents the broader tech industry’s strategic pivot toward securing reliable, carbon-free energy sources to fuel the massive computing demands of artificial intelligence systems.
The big picture: Meta has secured a 20-year nuclear power agreement with Constellation Energy to support its growing AI computing needs, continuing a trend of tech-nuclear partnerships.
- The deal will expand the output of Constellation’s Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois by 30 megawatts starting in 2027.
- This agreement strategically begins when Illinois’ taxpayer-funded zero-emission credit program expires, ensuring the plant’s continued operation after government subsidies end.
Behind the numbers: The Clinton nuclear plant was previously scheduled to close in 2017 due to financial losses before being rescued by state legislation.
- The Meta partnership will preserve 1,100 local jobs and generate $13.5 million in annual tax revenue.
- The 30-megawatt capacity expansion specifically targets powering Meta’s artificial intelligence operations.
Industry trends: Meta joins several other major tech companies investing in nuclear power and other clean energy sources for their data centers.
- Constellation announced plans in September to restart the Three Mile Island reactor to supply Microsoft’s data centers.
- Amazon has invested in small nuclear reactors while Google has backed three advanced nuclear energy projects with Elementl Power.
- Tech companies are simultaneously pursuing investments in solar and wind technologies to diversify their energy portfolios.
Why this matters: The agreement highlights how AI’s massive energy requirements are reshaping both the tech and energy sectors.
- Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of global energy, emphasized that “securing clean, reliable energy is necessary to continue advancing our AI ambitions.”
- States are actively competing to attract tech investment, with 25 states passing advanced nuclear energy legislation last year and over 200 supportive bills introduced this year.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...