Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, has signed a 20-year agreement with power giant Constellation Energy to keep an Illinois nuclear power plant running to power the tech giant’s data centers. The nuclear energy will be used to support Meta’s operations in the region starting in 2027.
Meta AI is developing AI systems that could fully automate ad buying and creation, joining other tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft that have focused on nuclear projects to power their energy-hungry AI. These models require significant power to process and analyze data.
“As we look toward our future energy needs in advancing AI, we recognize the immense value of nuclear power in providing reliable, firm electricity,” Meta said.
Starting in June 2027, Meta will buy approximately 1.1 gigawatts of energy from Constellation’s Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois, which is the entire output from the site’s one nuclear reactor.
Constellation’s Clinton Clean Energy Center, slated to close in 2017, was saved by Illinois’ zero-emission credit program, which will support the plant until 2027. The agreement, which takes effect in June 2027, will increase the plant’s clean energy output by 30 megawatts, preserve 1,100 local jobs, and generate $13.5 million in annual tax revenue. The plant currently powers about 800,000 US homes, and 30 additional megawatts could power a city with 30,00 residents for one year.
The deal could serve as a model for other big tech companies to support existing nuclear while they also plan to power data centers with new nuclear and other energy sources.
