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Google Nears Billion-Dollar Nuclear Power Deal With Constellation
Google's parent company, Alphabet, is close to a deal to buy electricity from Constellation Energy.
The agreement could be worth at least $1 billion over several years.
The companies had not announced the deal, and they did not say where the electricity would come from.
The news comes as technology companies need more electricity for their data centers.
These centers help run services that use artificial intelligence.
Nuclear plants can make electricity day and night without producing emissions while operating.
Other technology companies, including Amazon and Microsoft, have also made nuclear-power agreements.
The article says the deal's exact size and location were not yet known.
Alphabet, Google's parent company, is nearing a multi-year agreement to buy nuclear power from Constellation Energy.
The deal could be worth $1 billion or more, but its scale and the location of the power were not determined.
The agreement was expected to be announced as soon as the week of October 5; Google and Constellation declined to comment.
Technology companies are seeking around-the-clock electricity for data centers, including those supporting artificial intelligence.
Amazon, Google and Microsoft have also made or arranged nuclear-power deals involving existing facilities or planned upgrades.
- Who
- Alphabet, Google's parent company, is nearing an agreement with Constellation Energy.
- What
- A multi-year agreement for Google to buy nuclear power, reportedly worth $1 billion or more.
- Where
- The location of the nuclear capacity was not determined.
- When
- The deal was expected to be announced as soon as the week of October 5; the year is not specified.
- Why
- Technology companies are seeking electricity to meet rising data-center demand, including demand related to artificial intelligence.
Nuclear energy's appeal
Challenges and concerns
Role in meeting electricity demand
Nuclear energy's appeal
The article says nuclear power offers around-the-clock, emissions-free electricity, and technology companies are seeking supply for data centers.
Challenges and concerns
The article notes that new reactors can take a decade or more to permit and build, while newer fission technologies may be years from widespread deployment.
Safety and costs
Nuclear energy's appeal
Nuclear energy has seen a global revival as countries seek to meet rising electricity consumption while cutting emissions.
Challenges and concerns
Safety risks and heavy cost overruns contributed to declining enthusiasm for nuclear power early in the last decade.
Key facts
- Potential value
- $1 billion or more
- Agreement length
- Multi-year
- Expected announcement
- As soon as the week of October 5
- Capacity and location
- Not determined in the report
- Amazon agreement
- Amazon agreed to buy 690 megawatts of power from Constellation, including capacity tied to upgrades at Maryland's Calvert Cliffs facility.
- Other Google nuclear agreements
- Google has agreements involving NextEra Energy's planned restart of the Duane Arnold reactor and upgrades at two Southern Company plants.
- Microsoft agreement
- Microsoft agreed in 2024 to buy electricity from the Three Mile Island plant, where Constellation plans to restart a reactor next year.
Sources
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