Microsoft and Constellation Energy have announced a new energy-sharing agreement that will see a unit of Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant restarted to provide clean energy to Microsoft’s data centers for artificial intelligence. Three Mile Island Unit 1, which is different from the unit involved in the 1979 incident, was shut down in 2019 due to operating losses. The reactivation of Unit 1 will bring 800 megawatts of power back onto the grid, a significant amount necessary for running AI applications in data centers.
The move by Microsoft is part of a larger trend where companies are investing in clean energy to power their AI initiatives. Microsoft’s vice president of energy highlighted the importance of decarbonizing the grid in support of the company’s commitment to becoming carbon negative. The agreement with Constellation Energy is seen as a major step in achieving this goal.
In addition to the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, other shuttered nuclear facilities in states like Michigan and Iowa are being considered for reactivation to support the increasing demand for power in AI data centers. Microsoft’s push into AI and data centers is part of a broader $100 billion initiative with investment group BlackRock to develop cutting-edge technologies. While the impact of AI on businesses is still being debated, companies around the world view it as a significant opportunity for growth. Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, compared the potential of AI to the Industrial Revolution, indicating that it could lead to substantial advancements in the coming years.
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