Nuclear Power Moves to the Center of Big Tech’s Energy Strategy

Meta has signed a major agreement with TerraPower to support the construction of up to eight advanced nuclear reactors in the United States, a move that could deliver as much as 2.4 gigawatts of carbon-free electricity. The partnership reflects Meta’s growing reliance on firm, round-the-clock power sources as electricity demand surges from AI-driven data centers and digital infrastructure.

TerraPower, founded in 2008 by Bill Gates, Nathan Myhrvold, and John Gilleland, focuses on next-generation nuclear technologies designed to provide reliable, affordable, and low-carbon energy at scale. Gates currently serves as chair of the company’s board.

How Natrium Technology Fits a Renewable-Heavy Grid

At the core of the agreement is TerraPower’s Natrium reactor design. Each Natrium plant combines a 345 megawatt sodium fast reactor with a molten salt energy storage system that allows output to flex with grid conditions. While the reactor provides a steady baseload of 345 MW, stored thermal energy enables power delivery to increase to 500 MW for more than five hours during periods of peak demand.

This flexibility is intended to complement power systems with high shares of wind and solar generation, smoothing supply when renewable output falls due to weather conditions or night-time demand. TerraPower recently began construction on its first commercial-scale Natrium project in the U.S., which is expected to be completed by 2030.

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Structure and Timeline of the Meta Agreement

Under the new deal, Meta will fund early-stage development of two Natrium units and secure rights to energy from up to six additional reactors. Delivery of these additional units could begin as early as 2032, depending on permitting, construction timelines, and grid integration.

If fully realized, the eight-reactor portfolio would provide Meta with one of the largest dedicated sources of advanced nuclear power tied to a single corporate buyer, underscoring how hyperscale technology firms are reshaping demand for new generation capacity.

AI, Data Centers, and the Limits of Renewables Alone

Meta’s interest in nuclear energy is closely linked to the rapid growth of AI workloads and data center expansion. While the company has matched 100 percent of its operational electricity use with renewable energy and has maintained net-zero emissions in its own operations since 2020, it has acknowledged that its 2030 net-zero value chain target will be increasingly difficult as energy demand accelerates.

In its 2024 sustainability reporting, Meta noted that the pressure AI places on energy and resource consumption is not unique to the company, but represents a broader challenge across the technology sector. Advanced nuclear power offers a path to add large volumes of firm, carbon-free electricity without the intermittency constraints of renewables alone.

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A Broader Push Into Nuclear Energy

The TerraPower agreement builds on Meta’s broader nuclear strategy. In late 2024, the company launched a request for proposals seeking 1 to 4 GW of new nuclear capacity in the U.S., with delivery targeted for the early 2030s. Meta has also joined peers such as Amazon and Google in pledging support for tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050.

For TerraPower, the deal provides a powerful commercial signal as it works to scale Natrium deployment in the 2030s. For Meta, it represents its most substantial commitment to advanced nuclear technology so far, positioning the company at the forefront of corporate-backed nuclear development in the United States.

Together, the agreement highlights a shift in how large technology firms approach energy procurement, moving beyond renewable credits toward direct participation in building the next generation of firm, low-carbon power infrastructure.

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