Meta Locks 6.6 GW of Nuclear Power to Fuel AI Data Centers
Meta agreed to buy up to 6.6 GW of nuclear-generated power from Vistra, Oklo and TerraPower to supply its AI data centers through the early 2030s.
Overview
Meta signed long-term agreements with Vistra, Oklo and TerraPower, and previously Constellation, to purchase up to 6.6 GW of nuclear power for its AI data centers.
Vistra's 20-year deal supplies 2.1 GW from Ohio reactors; Oklo plans a 1.2 GW Pike County campus; TerraPower's Natrium units aim to deliver starting as early as 2032.
Nuclear offers reliable, 24/7 baseload power to support energy-intensive AI operations, but analysts warn large data centers may strain saturated grids and raise residential electricity costs.
Oklo and TerraPower, developing small modular reactors, gain major corporate demand from Meta, yet face regulatory approvals, fuel sourcing and unproven cost targets for early plants.
Meta says agreements reinforce America's nuclear supply chain and support jobs; financial terms were undisclosed, and the commitments may influence future corporate investments in nuclear energy.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this coverage neutrally, emphasizing facts and trade-offs without ideological spin. They highlight Vistra’s immediate, cheaper supply, detail Meta’s RFP and capacity targets, and note SMR uncertainties—NRC approval hurdles, untested scaling, and divergent cost forecasts—providing balanced context rather than advocacy.
Sources (5)
FAQ
Meta is turning to nuclear because it provides **reliable, 24/7 baseload power** that can continuously run energy‑intensive AI data centers, whereas wind and solar are variable and typically need storage or backup generation to ensure constant supply.[3][4][2] Nuclear also counts as low‑carbon power, helping Meta address rising data‑center emissions while meeting rapidly growing electricity demand from AI.
Meta’s agreements include more than **2.1 GW** from three existing Vistra nuclear plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania, support for a **1.2 GW** Oklo small‑reactor campus in Pike County, Ohio, and funding for TerraPower’s Natrium advanced reactors—two units providing up to **690 MW** of firm power by around 2032 plus rights to energy from up to six additional Natrium units totaling about **2.1 GW** by 2035.
Energy experts warn that bringing large AI data centers online without adding new generation can **increase electricity rates** across already stressed grids, such as the mid‑Atlantic region, by tightening supply.[3] By backing new and existing nuclear capacity, Meta’s deals are intended to add firm power and grid stability, but analysts still caution that rapid data‑center growth may strain saturated grids and contribute to higher residential electricity costs if not matched with sufficient new supply and infrastructure upgrades.
Oklo and TerraPower depend on **small modular and advanced reactor designs** that still face key hurdles: securing regulatory approvals, obtaining suitable nuclear fuel, and proving they can meet cost and construction targets for first‑of‑a‑kind plants.[3][4] These projects are not yet operating at scale, so there is uncertainty around timelines, total costs, and whether they can deliver power as early and as cheaply as planned.
Meta says the projects will **“reinforce America’s nuclear supply chain”** and support both new and existing jobs needed to build and operate U.S. nuclear power plants, as long‑term power purchase commitments give reactor operators and developers the financial certainty to invest in reactors, fuel, and related infrastructure.
History
This story does not have any previous versions.