UCAN Power - United Coalition for Advanced Nuclear Power’s Post

Nuclear power has struggled to compete on a cost basis with other methods of energy generation due to the maintenance and oversight required to safely operate nuclear power plants. Will the AI boom and big data centers lead a resurgence for the reliable, carbon-free electric produced by nuclear power? The next few years will be facinating to watch for the industy!

The explosive growth in data centers confirms that AI is real and the need for enormous amounts of 24x7 energy to support it are uniquely met by nuclear power. The importance of the existing fleet of plants and efforts to expand this capability through new builds, life extension, and power updates is becoming an energy industry imperative. https://lnkd.in/exTmPWx5

Everyone talks about AI first, then #nvdia , #amd , etc. but tends to ignore the huge amount of energy consumption behind AI development, which we look at from a Cloud Usage standpoint. As stated in the linked research, AI, manufacturing, and transportation are significantly increasing the electricity demand, making it a natural move to clean energy. Looking across all key Cloud Service Providers on the market, all of them are racing towards a sustainable future: 🚀 Amazon Web Services (AWS): 🎯 100% renewable energy by 2025. 🎯 Net-zero carbon by 2040. 🌱 Investing in solar and wind projects. 🚀 Microsoft Azure 🎯 Carbon negative by 2030. 🎯 Remove all historical emissions by 2050. 💧 Water-positive initiatives. 🚀 Google Cloud 🎯 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. 🎯 Net-zero emissions across all operations by 2030. 🤖 AI-optimized data centers. 🚀 IBM Cloud 🎯 Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. 🤖 AI and hybrid cloud solutions for sustainability. 🚀 Oracle Cloud 🎯 100% renewable energy in data centers by 2025. 🌱 Efficient cooling and power management. 🔋 Investing in renewables. 🚀 Alibaba Cloud 🎯 Carbon neutrality in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. #carbonfootprint #sustainability #cleanenergy #cloud #datacenter

The Wall Street Journal article on Tech-Nuclear Power marriage, behind-the-meter deals and the tech industry’s growing demand for #nuclear power to fuel #AI and #datacenters that is making headlines. But beneath the surface, there are critical issues that deserve attention.The article highlights how data centers and tech companies are eager to secure nuclear power deals but overlooks the nuclear waste management challenge. *** #NuclearWaste Oversight: While the allure of nuclear energy lies in its reliability and low greenhouse gas emissions, we must not overlook the long-lasting radioactive waste it generates *** #YuccaMountain Debacle: The ambitious geologic nuclear waste repository project in Nevada that consumed billions of dollars. It was ultimately dismissed due to technical and political challenges. Yet, the need for safe waste disposal remains. *** #SmallModularReactor (#SMR): These compact nuclear reactors, touted as the future of energy, promise cost savings and safety benefits. However, 2022 study by Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, reveals a surprising twist: SMRs may actually produce more radioactive waste than their larger counterparts. Neutron reflectors and chemically reactive fuels contribute to this excess waste volume. *** Decay Heat and #Radiochemistry: SMRs won’t reduce the generation of key fission products like iodine-129, technetium-99, and selenium-79—critical for assessing repository performance. Additionally, SMR spent fuel contains relatively high concentrations of fissile nuclides, posing challenges for storage and disposal. As the world seeks cleaner #energy solutions, we must grapple with the complexities of #nuclearpower. Let’s engage in informed discussions about waste management, safety, and the delicate balance between #innovation and responsibility.

I encourage everyone to read the following article published today in the Wall Street Journal, entitled "Tech Industry Wants to Lock Up Nuclear Power for AI," https://lnkd.in/eGqT7wFv. The article reports that Amazon and other Big Tech firms are "scouring the country for electricity supplies [and] have zeroed in on a key target: America’s nuclear-power plants." According to the article, "owners of roughly a third of U.S. nuclear-power plants are in talks with tech companies to provide electricity to new data centers needed to meet the demands of an artificial-intelligence boom." The article explains that proposed deals between Big Tech firms and nuclear power plants "have the potential to remove stable power generation from the grid while reliability concerns are rising across much of the U.S." As a result of such deals, "instead of adding new green energy to meet their soaring power needs, tech companies would be effectively diverting existing electricity resources. That could raise prices for other customers and hold back emission-cutting goals." Negotiations for these deals are reportedly occurring secretly and without public hearings that would consider their potential averse impacts on consumers, the adequacy and reliability of our electric grid, and the achievement of carbon reduction goals. As I've said in previous posts, why are we allowing Big Tech firms to engage in a headlong and reckless race to develop AI programs without proper regulatory oversight and without a full public consideration of the impact of massive AI data centers on our energy and water supplies as well as the manifold other risks that AI poses to the welfare of society?

Ontario's recent provincial budget announced big new investment in nuclear to build up the province's electricity capacity...and the U.S. is looking at doing the same; here's an announcement re: recommissioning a nuclear facility on the shores of Lake Michigan. AI + data centres + electric vehicles = rising electricity demands. Ever wonder why China is investing in all that new electricity generation, much of it still coal? It's not just about electric vehicles- we're in an AI war and AI needs power. #nuclear #electricity #nuclearenergy #HydroOne #AI #poweringAI

Nvidia’s Jensen Huang says more nuclear power is an option to provide the power needed for the expansion of data centers to feed AI. Safe Nuclear Power Technology still needs a breakthrough, and Bill Gates has invested significantly in this technology. However, it shows that renewable energy production to support AI high demand for electricity is a major concern for the industry, and hasn’t delayed the push for scaling AI. #ai #airace #technology #sustainability #climatechange

This is an interesting article worth reading! As we move into a new age of digital reliance, there are unknowns about fueling the massive data centers required to use the technology. #datacenter #ai #nuclear #energy #fuel #energytransition

We see builders looking into nuclear not only at hyperscale levels for big-tech users, but for containerized micro data centers paired with Kaleidos reactors too. This combination will allow small-to-medium-sized businesses scale data needs flexibly and on time, while also meeting their clean energy goals. With increasing demands on power generation, it's more important than ever to invest in clean-power technologies including micro and small modular reactors. As the The Wall Street Journal reports today, tech companies are "willing to pay a premium for nearly uninterrupted, carbon-free power". This is the power people want, and the power companies need for the future. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g9iQQ6QR Jennifer Hiller Sebastian Herrera

According to energy.gov nuclear power plants are providing 20% of the energy used in the United States via the electrical grid. The challenge is to offload the grid completely and have data centers (and other facilities) source power from the plants directly. An example would be US Navy Aircraft carriers powered by nuclear reactors since the 1960’s. MD7 CEO, Michael Gianni posted an interesting article from The Wall Street Journal, Tech Industry Wants to Lock Up Nuclear Power for AI this week about how data centers are exploring opportunities to become nuclear powered almost exclusively to offload the grid. Do you think this is feasible? Is it needed? Contribute you thoughts and opinions below. We'd love to hear them. #energy #nuclearpower #datacenters #AI #MD7 #unlimitedpossibilities