Facebook will establish its own nuclear reactor.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is seeking nuclear reactors with a capacity of 1 gigawatt to 4 gigawatts for data centers starting in the early 2030s. The company has asked reactor manufacturers to submit bids for the tender they will open. Commercial reactors that produce 1 gigawatt of electricity can meet the needs of approximately 750,000 homes.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Meta is believed to have turned to nuclear energy to meet the enormous electricity demands of its AI-focused goals. The thought that publicly owned reactors will be insufficient to meet the needs of companies is pushing tech giants to consider building their own reactors.

Adam Stein, the director of nuclear energy innovation at the Breakthrough Institute, stated, "They are willing to take on a bit more of the early financial risk. Utility companies are unable to keep up with the needs of technology companies."

REACTORS TO BE COMMISSIONED

Although there is currently almost no nuclear construction activity in the U.S., Stein said that Meta's goal of having power within the next decade is feasible. Stein added, "There are definitely some candidates that could be ready by the early 2030s."

Meta stated that it will evaluate both large conventional reactors and small modular designs.

Not only Meta but other companies are also turning to nuclear energy. Microsoft has agreed to purchase power from a reactor that Constellation Energy plans to rebuild at the Three Mile Island site in Pennsylvania.