According to the companies ‘ announcement on Tuesday, Meta, the parent firm of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has entered a 20-year deal with Constellation Energy to acquire nuclear energy from the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois.
The agreement, which is Meta’s largest clean energy order to date, is scheduled to go into effect in June 2027 and is designed to address the company’s growing energy demand, which is being driven by artificial intelligence and data center expansion.
The Clinton Clean Energy Center may increase employment and power.
The Clinton nuclear plant, which was originally scheduled to close down due to economic pressure, did now operate effectively well into the 2040s through this relationship.
According to Joseph Dominguez, president and chief executive officer of Constellation,” America’s existing nuclear ship is vital to our country, and Meta figured out that expanding and expanding existing trusted, fresh technology is just as important as finding new sources of energy.” With additional capacity on the horizon and the possibility to explore new atomic development on site, this deal will ensure the plant, which is renowned for its consistently strong performance, will continue operating until at least mid-century.
The Clinton center may increase 30 megawatts through equipment upgrades as part of the agreement and support 1,100 well-paying positions. Constellation has also pledged to donate$ 1 million in charitable funds to local charities over the next five years, and it will continue to contribute$ 13.5 million in local taxes each year.
The deal comes as Meta’s energy use significantly increases, fueled by faster AI development. The power consumption of Meta almost tripled between 2019 and 2023.
Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of international energy, said,” Securing clean, reliable power is necessary to continue advance our AI interests.
” We are proud to support keeping the Clinton grow running for years to come,” she continued, adding that it is an essential component to strengthening America’s command in energy.
Nuclear force by major tech
Meta is not the only company that uses nuclear energy to power its AI system. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon even use nuclear energy to propel their AI-driven development. Microsoft and Constellation Energy signed a deal last year to restart Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, and Google is looking into Kairos Power’s development of small modular reactors ( SMRs ) to create up to 500 MW of nuclear energy.
These tech giant, in addition, have supported a global commitment to triple nuclear energy’s power by 2050, citing the need for clean, reliable power.
Looking forward to nuclear power’s potential
Constellation is considering adding a fresh furnace to the site now that the plant’s potential is secured.
According to Dominguez,” It’s a natural place for us to communicate to Meta and other people about potentially constructing the next generation of property.” He noted that discussions with other users are currently taking place.
Nuclear energy is receiving renewed attention for its stability and zero-emission perks as the demand for AI, cloud computing, and data centers rises.
