Microsoft is preparing to restart a reactor at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. The facility became infamous for a 1979 accident, but is now viewed as a source of clean energy. Tech giants, including Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon, require massive amounts of electricity for their data centers.
The development of artificial intelligence is increasing electricity consumption. Experts predict that by 2028, the electricity demand for data centers will double, reaching 857 terawatt-hours. This is giving new momentum to nuclear energy, which had been in decline for years.
Since 2013, 12 nuclear power plants have been closed in the U.S. However, the situation is now changing. The owner of Three Mile Island, Constellation Energy, and Microsoft have agreed to restart the undamaged reactor. Microsoft has committed to purchasing the electricity for 20 years, and Constellation will invest $1.6 billion.
This is not Microsoft's only deal. The company is also collaborating with Canada's Ontario Power Generation and the fusion startup Helion. Other companies are following this example as well. Amazon has allocated $650 million to obtain electricity from a Pennsylvania nuclear power plant.
Other market participants prefer small modular reactors. The company Equinix plans to obtain energy from the startup Oklo. Oracle also plans to build three such reactors for its data centers. This technology allows for long-term operation without the need for refueling.
