Meta strengthens its commitment to nuclear energy to power AI infrastructure

The Energy Challenge of Big Tech Companies

The rapid expansion of data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence has created an unprecedented urgency in the tech sector: securing stable, clean, and massive energy sources. Meta, Google, and Microsoft share the same challenge: the demand for AI computing is growing exponentially, putting pressure on traditional power grids and jeopardizing corporate sustainability goals. In this scenario, nuclear energy emerges as a strategic solution capable of providing a constant supply with minimal carbon emissions.

Meta Signs Unprecedented Nuclear Agreements

Meta has just announced a portfolio of nuclear energy contracts of historic magnitude, positioning the company as one of the largest corporate buyers of this type of energy in the United States. On Friday, commitments were confirmed for 20-year energy purchases with three nuclear facilities operated by Vistra in Ohio and Pennsylvania, whose combined contribution will exceed 6 gigawatts of electricity. This capacity is enough to fully supply a metropolis of approximately 5 million inhabitants.

The Perry and Davis-Besse plants in Ohio, along with the Beaver Valley facility in Pennsylvania, will form the core of Meta’s energy supply over the next two decades. Simultaneously, the company will collaborate with innovative nuclear developers Oklo and TerraPower —the latter backed by Bill Gates— to build new-generation reactors of smaller scale, with operations projected to begin by the end of this decade, adding hundreds of megawatts to the portfolio.

Market Validation and Strategic Context

Market reaction was immediate: Oklo and Vistra’s shares increased by more than 13% on Friday. This movement reflects sector confidence in the viability of this energy strategy. Meta’s decision marks the culmination of a trajectory of corporate nuclear commitments: previously, the company had closed an agreement with Constellation Energy that revitalized the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois, keeping it operational by providing a guaranteed long-term buyer.

According to Joel Kaplan, Meta’s Global Affairs Director, these agreements will make the company “one of the most significant corporate buyers of nuclear energy in U.S. history.” Urvi Parekh, Global Energy Director, added that “investing in nuclear energy allows us to access clean and reliable electricity essential for our AI initiatives and to solidify U.S. leadership in energy innovation.”

Nuclear Energy as a Catalyst for AI

Meta’s bet reflects a broader reality: the era of artificial intelligence requires energy infrastructures of a scale and reliability that conventional systems struggle to meet. Although nuclear reactors demand substantial investments and long development periods, their ability to generate electricity without interruptions is indispensable in the context of accelerated AI computing expansion. This trend is not exclusive to Meta; its tech competitors are exploring similar paths, shaping a new paradigm where nuclear energy ceases to be marginal and becomes a cornerstone of global technological infrastructure.