Will Artificial Intelligence Trigger a New Era of Nuclear Power?

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The rapid global expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, economies, and daily life. However, behind every AI-powered service lies an enormous and growing demand for electricity. As data centres multiply and computational needs surge, governments and technology leaders are increasingly turning their attention to nuclear energy as a reliable, low-carbon solution capable of powering the AI-driven future.

AI and the exploding demand for electricity

Global electricity consumption is rising at an unprecedented pace. By 2035, worldwide demand is expected to increase by more than 10,000 terawatt-hours—roughly equal to the total electricity consumption of all advanced economies today. A major driver of this growth is artificial intelligence.

AI systems rely heavily on data centres filled with high-performance servers that process and store massive amounts of information. A single medium-sized data centre can consume as much electricity as 100,000 households. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity demand from data centres surged by more than 75 per cent between 2023 and 2024 and is projected to account for over 20 per cent of electricity-demand growth in advanced economies by 2030.

In the United States, home to many of the world’s leading AI companies, AI-driven data processing is expected to consume more electricity by the end of this decade than the combined power usage of aluminium, steel, cement, and chemical production industries. This scale of demand poses a serious challenge to existing power grids and climate goals.

Why nuclear energy is gaining momentum

To meet this growing demand without worsening the climate crisis, many experts argue that nuclear power is not just an option but a necessity. Unlike solar and wind energy, which depend on weather conditions, nuclear power provides stable, round-the-clock electricity with virtually zero carbon emissions.

Manuel Greisinger, a senior manager at Google, emphasizes that AI requires “clean, stable zero-carbon electricity that is available around the clock.” He argues that while renewable sources are vital, they alone cannot meet AI’s continuous and intensive energy needs. In this context, nuclear energy becomes a core pillar of the future energy system.

This view is strongly echoed by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi. According to him, nuclear power uniquely satisfies five critical requirements: low-carbon generation, reliability, high power density, grid stability, and scalability. These qualities make nuclear energy particularly well-suited to support the AI revolution.

A global nuclear revival

The nuclear industry is experiencing renewed confidence. Currently, 441 nuclear reactors are operational worldwide, with 71 new reactors under construction. The United States alone plans to build ten additional reactors, adding to its existing fleet of 94—the largest in the world.

Major technology companies are also playing a role in this revival. Several tech giants have committed to supporting the goal of tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050. Microsoft, for instance, signed a 20-year power purchase agreement that enabled the restart of Unit One of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania.

Beyond the US, nuclear investment is accelerating worldwide. Europe, with its dense network of digital hubs in cities such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and London, is doubling down on nuclear power. France and the United Kingdom are expanding construction, while countries like Poland are entering the nuclear sector more aggressively.

Russia remains the world’s largest exporter of nuclear technology, while China is making rapid advances in both AI and nuclear energy. Japan is upgrading and expanding data centres, and in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates has emerged as both a nuclear energy producer and a regional AI hub.

Small modular reactors: a promising solution

The urgent need for new power sources has also brought attention to small modular reactors (SMRs). Unlike traditional nuclear plants, which require massive investment and long construction timelines, SMRs are compact, safer by design, and faster to deploy.

These reactors can be built near industrial zones and data centre campuses, reducing dependence on strained power grids and minimizing transmission losses. According to the IAEA, SMRs could provide a decisive advantage in regions where grid expansion is slow and connection delays are common.

Although SMRs are still moving beyond the research and development stage, progress is accelerating. Google has already signed an agreement to purchase electricity from multiple SMRs—a global first. If successful, these reactors could be operational by 2030.

Looking beyond Earth

In a sign of how far energy innovation may go, Google is also exploring space-based solar power systems. By placing solar networks in orbit, companies could harness uninterrupted solar energy to support large-scale machine learning. Two prototype satellites are scheduled for launch in 2027 to test radiation resistance and data-processing capabilities in space.

Powering future civilizations

Whether through restarting older nuclear plants, constructing large reactors, deploying small modular reactors, or even harvesting solar energy in space, the direction is clear. The future of AI—and potentially future civilizations—depends on a robust, scalable, and low-carbon energy system. Increasingly, nuclear energy appears to be at the center of that vision.