In an important step towards its sustainability goals, Meta has turned to nuclear power to meet the energy needs of its data centers. Facebook’s parent company has started to receive proposals from nuclear reactor manufacturers to power its data centers in the US. The company’s goal is to integrate nuclear reactors into its operations by 2030.
Meta increases investments for nuclear reactors
Meta is interested in Small Modular Reactors (SMR), which are more compact and flexible than standard nuclear power plants. Capable of producing between 1 and 4 gigawatts of power, these reactors have the capacity to meet the energy needs of millions of homes.
Meta said in a statement that he believes nuclear energy can provide the basic power to meet the electricity needs of data centers. He also underlined that technological developments and economic growth have increased this need.
In fact, Meta has been investing in nuclear energy for some time. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a meeting with company employees that the project had to be canceled because a rare bee species was found on the planned land. Meta’s nuclear data center plan was thus halted in the first place.
Although nuclear energy faces some reservations and legal obstacles, it is very important in terms of its potential to provide carbon-free energy. This decision is in line with the company’s efforts to diversify its clean energy portfolio, which already includes solar, wind, battery storage and geothermal sources.
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