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**Nuclear Energy Gains Momentum to Power Expanding U.S. Data Centers**
Not long ago, nuclear energy was a controversial topic. High-profile incidents at Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant left many wary of its potential risks. Today, however, the narrative is shifting.
With data center capacity expanding rapidly across the United States and increasing concerns about the strain on power grids, nuclear energy is being reconsidered as a clean, scalable, and reliable power source. According to a recent report by Cushman & Wakefield, nuclear power is gaining renewed attention due to its strategic alignment with the sustainability, reliability, scalability, and efficiency priorities of the world’s largest data center operators.
The report also highlights robust federal support for nuclear energy initiatives. The U.S. government has issued executive orders to accelerate reactor licensing, streamline testing processes, and boost domestic nuclear fuel production. Additionally, it has set ambitious goals: commissioning ten large-scale reactors by 2030 and reaching a national capacity of 300 gigawatts by 2050.
This renewed governmental backing has attracted substantial investments from private equity, venture capital, and major players in the energy, technology, and data center sectors. Notable partnerships and projects include:
– **Constellation Energy and Microsoft** are collaborating to restart the former Three Mile Island Unit 1 generator by 2027, contributing more than 800 megawatts of electricity to the grid.
– **Google and Kairos Power** are working together on the development of reactor plants aimed at powering Google’s data centers. The partnership aims to generate 500 megawatts of nuclear-powered capacity by 2035.
– **Amazon and X-energy** have joined forces in a major undertaking, with Amazon investing $500 million to support a four-unit, 320-megawatt nuclear project in partnership with Energy Northwest in Central Washington. The initiative plans to scale up to 12 units, ultimately producing 960 megawatts.
Cushman & Wakefield concludes that this growing shift toward nuclear energy presents a unique opportunity for the commercial real estate industry. Real estate developers and investors now have a pivotal role to play in enabling the infrastructure needed to support this so-called “nuclear renaissance.”
As technological innovation and energy demand continue to rise in tandem, strategic investments in nuclear energy offer a promising path forward for sustainable and resilient data center operations.
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