Artificial intelligence is improving everyone’s lives through products and services. However, AI’s operation also consumes a lot of energy, which can be especially problematic if there are environmental goals to meet. Now, Microsoft will turn to the Three Mile Island nuclear plant to supply itself with all the energy needed in the AI era.
The Three Mile Island nuclear plant closed five years ago for economic reasons. However, Microsoft is interested in reactivating it as part of an exclusive energy supply contract for the next 20 years. Constellation, the company behind the nuclear plant, will invest around $1.6 billion in its reactivation to put it at the service of the Redmond giant.
The Three Mile Island nuclear plant could provide all its energy to Microsoft in the AI era
Some will remember the name of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, which was the site of a partial meltdown in 1979. The plant continued to operate normally after the situation was resolved. Its recent shutdown was not related to any similar incident. This will be the first time that a nuclear plant offers 100% of its capacity to a single customer. It probably won’t come cheap for Microsoft, but it may be necessary to stay competitive in today’s tech industry.
It’s noteworthy that, despite the general fear of incidents that could end in disasters, nuclear energy is extremely clean. Microsoft is one of those companies that has set its own environmental goals. However, its current focus on the development of energy-hungry AI platforms and services may complicate the situation. Turning to nuclear energy may be an ideal solution. Neither party has confirmed the investment’s intended use for AI development. However, it is quite likely that a lot of the energy will be allocated to it.
There are still hurdles to overcome
That said, Constellation still has hurdles to overcome before reactivating the nuclear plant. The process will have to go through safety reviews by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The company could also undergo a review of the tax breaks it has previously obtained. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission review appears to be the most difficult hurdle, as it has never authorized the reactivation of a nuclear plant before.
If Constellation and Microsoft succeed in restarting the plant, it will bring 600 new jobs to Pennsylvania. Additionally, the region will receive “philanthropic donations” totaling $200,000 annually for the next five years.