Major technology companies, including Amazon, Google, and Meta, have committed to a pledge supporting the ambitious goal of tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050. The initiative, spearheaded by the World Nuclear Association, aims to address the surge in energy demand expected in the coming years, particularly in the tech sector, driven by the rise of AI and its associated data center power consumption.
The “Large Energy Users Pledge” also includes prominent companies such as Allseas, Bureau Veritas, Carbon3Energy, Clean Energy Buyers Alliance, Core Power, Dow, Fly Green Alliance, Lloyd’s Register, Occidental, OSGE, and Siemens Energy. The pledge emphasizes the critical role of increased nuclear capacity in achieving global goals for energy security and a continuous supply of clean energy.
This commitment follows a strategic shift by several tech giants toward nuclear energy solutions. These companies seek to reduce the environmental impact of their operations while meeting the escalating power needs of AI-driven data centers.
Meta, for example, has issued requests for proposals (RFPs) to nuclear energy developers in the U.S. The company aims to add between 1 to 4 GW of new nuclear generation capacity and to help reduce costs. Urvi Parekh, Head of Energy at Meta, revealed that the company has received over 50 submissions from a range of industry participants in response to its RFPs. “Our RFP approach has been rooted in understanding how we can partner with utilities and to accelerate and spur new nuclear energy projects,” Parekh explained. “We believe that the best chance for success for nuclear to scale quickly will be to install multiple nuclear units, and we hope that our engagement will create the certainty needed by the market to begin permitting, siting, designing and engineering these facilities.”
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is also significantly investing in nuclear energy projects. Brandon Oyer, Head of Americas Energy and Water for AWS, stated that the company has invested over $1 billion in the past year in support of nuclear energy and technologies. This investment aligns with Amazon’s broader Climate Pledge commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Amazon initially pledged to use 100% renewable energy by 2030. While the company met that goal ahead of schedule in July 2024, it acknowledged that the growth of generative AI requires exploration of additional carbon-free energy sources beyond renewables. According to Oyer, “Accelerating nuclear energy development will be critical to strengthening our nation’s security, meeting future energy demands, and addressing climate change.”
Google is another major participant, aiming for 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. In October 2024, the company signed a deal with nuclear technology company Kairos Power. The goal is to deploy small advanced nuclear power projects across the U.S., providing up to 500 MW of carbon-free energy for its data centers. Lucia Tian, Head of Clean Energy & Decarbonization Technologies at Google, said, “We are proud to sign a pledge in support of tripling nuclear capacity by 2050, as nuclear power will be pivotal in building a reliable, secure, and sustainable energy future. Google will continue to work alongside our partners to accelerate the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies that can provide the around-the-clock clean energy necessary to meet growing electricity demand around the world.”
The World Nuclear Association anticipates further company participation in the pledge, with interest expressed from sectors like maritime, aviation, chemical, and oil & gas. Sama Bilbao y Leon, Director General of World Nuclear Association, noted that the global shift towards greater use of nuclear energy “highlights this is the only way we’ll deliver the abundant firm clean energy required to power growth and innovation in technology, a host of other industries and the entire economy.”
