Meta has entered a groundbreaking 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy to support the revival of a nuclear power plant in Illinois. This contract underscores Meta’s long-term dedication to meeting the substantial energy demands driven by the expanding use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The deal aligns with a wider trend among major tech companies—such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft—that are making strategic efforts to secure dependable and sustainable energy sources amid rising electricity needs fueled by power-intensive AI operations. The increasing dependence on AI across various technology platforms has caused a significant surge in the energy consumption of data centers that facilitate these operations. In the United States, data centers predominantly rely on fossil fuels, with natural gas constituting the primary energy source. Nuclear power and renewable energy make up relatively smaller portions of the energy mix for these facilities. However, industry movements—including Meta’s new agreement—indicate a gradual shift toward adopting cleaner, more sustainable power options. Meta’s energy strategy is not limited to nuclear energy; the company is simultaneously investing in gas-fired power plants in Louisiana to generate electricity for upcoming regional data centers. International approaches to powering AI and data centers vary noticeably. For example, France actively leverages its substantial nuclear power capacity, which currently accounts for roughly 75 percent of the nation’s electricity. French energy policies aim to capitalize on this strength, positioning the country as a potential leader in the clean-energy-powered development and deployment of AI technologies. The U. S.

Department of Energy projects that AI’s electricity consumption could increase dramatically, potentially reaching up to 12 percent of the nation’s total electricity usage by 2028. This forecast corresponds with expectations that data center power demand may double or even triple during the same period. These intensive energy requirements largely result from training AI models—which consume vast amounts of electricity—as well as the ongoing inference processes, where AI models analyze data in real time. Additionally, the energy figures related to AI activities encompass more than just computational needs. Cooling systems required to maintain optimal temperatures in data centers impose substantial additional loads. These cooling solutions often rely on significant air conditioning or water-based methods, further increasing overall power consumption. While transitioning to cleaner energy sources such as nuclear and renewables is vital for sustainable AI progress, this transformation will not occur quickly. The infrastructure needed to support rapidly growing electricity demands must expand accordingly. Energy providers, technology firms, and policymakers will need to collaborate extensively over the coming decades to balance AI’s swift growth with environmental and energy sustainability objectives. In summary, Meta’s new partnership with Constellation Energy exemplifies the proactive steps the tech industry is taking to secure long-term, stable, and environmentally responsible energy supplies. This initiative forms part of a broader industry-wide response to the significant electricity demands arising from AI technologies and their associated data center infrastructures, highlighting the crucial intersection of technological innovation and energy strategy in today’s world.