Nuclear Power’s Surprise Comeback: Big Tech Is Betting on Reactors to Power the AI Revolution

Nuclear power — long sidelined in energy policy debates — is experiencing a remarkable revival, driven not by governments but by the world’s largest technology companies. Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta have all signed or are actively pursuing deals to power their data centres with nuclear energy. The appeal is straightforward: nuclear generates zero carbon emissions during operation and, unlike solar or wind, produces electricity continuously regardless of weather or time of day. For AI data centres that run workloads around the clock, this reliability is essential. Microsoft has committed to restarting the Three Mile Island reactor in Pennsylvania. Google has agreed to purchase power from small modular reactors currently under development. Amazon has invested directly in nuclear energy startups. Researchers note that while nuclear carries its own construction timelines and regulatory complexity, for the specific needs of always-on AI infrastructure, it may represent the most credible path to genuinely clean computing at scale.