Meta Inks 20-Year Nuclear Power Deal to Fuel AI Growth

As demand for AI computing power soars, Meta turns to clean nuclear energy to meet its growing energy needs.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has entered into a 20-year agreement to secure nuclear power, becoming the latest tech giant to adopt nuclear energy as a solution to rising power demands driven by artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

The deal, announced Tuesday, will increase output at Constellation Energy’s Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois. This partnership marks another milestone in the growing trend of collaboration between tech firms and nuclear energy providers as the AI revolution accelerates.

Nuclear Energy to Power AI and Data Ambitions

With this investment, the Clinton plant’s clean energy output will expand by 30 megawatts, preserving 1,100 local jobs and generating $13.5 million in annual tax revenue. The plant, which currently supplies electricity to roughly 800,000 U.S. homes, was previously at risk of shutdown due to financial losses. However, it was rescued in 2017 by Illinois legislation establishing a zero-emission credit program—set to expire in June 2027, the same year Meta’s deal takes effect.

“This partnership ensures access to clean, reliable energy, which is essential for the future of our AI initiatives,” said Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of global energy.

Growing Industry Trend

Meta joins other tech heavyweights like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, which are also investing in nuclear energy to power their data centers. Microsoft is exploring a restart of the long-closed Three Mile Island nuclear reactor, while Amazon and Google recently announced plans to back small modular reactors and advanced nuclear projects.

According to industry estimates, the additional 30 megawatts from Meta’s deal could power a city of 30,000 residents for a full year.

Policymakers and Industry Shifts

U.S. states are moving quickly to support the energy needs of big tech. In 2023, 25 states passed laws favoring advanced nuclear energy, and over 200 related bills have been introduced in 2024 alone, per the Nuclear Energy Institute. These efforts aim to eliminate regulatory hurdles and offer subsidies to attract energy investments.

Despite federal goals to quadruple nuclear output over the next 25 years, experts warn of limitations. The U.S. currently has no commercially operating next-generation reactors, and only two new large reactors have been built in the past 50 years—both massively over budget and delayed.

George Gross, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois, emphasized the need for investment in the nation’s transmission infrastructure. “My biggest concern is the grid,” he said, noting that spending on transmission has declined even as demand has surged.

A Clean Energy Race

While nuclear energy is gaining traction, tech companies are also heavily investing in renewable sources. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft continue to support solar and wind power to reduce their carbon footprints.

As the race to power the future of AI intensifies, tech firms are balancing clean energy commitments with the escalating energy demands of modern computing.