In Tokyo on October 3, 2024, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced the company's plans to increase investments in renewable energy and explore nuclear power options to meet the escalating energy demands driven by generative artificial intelligence (AI). Pichai highlighted that Google's greenhouse gas emissions rose by 48% in 2023 compared to 2019, making its climate targets increasingly challenging.
With AI data centers projected to consume over 9% of the U.S. electricity supply by 2030, more than double the current usage, the urgency for sustainable energy solutions has intensified. Pichai did not specify the sources for the nuclear power but indicated that the U.S. is a likely candidate, following similar moves by Amazon and Microsoft.
Amazon has secured an agreement to purchase the Susquehanna nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, expected to supply 960 megawatts of power, while Microsoft is looking to restart the Three Mile Island plant, notorious for the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history. Constellation Energy aims to reopen this facility by 2028, pending regulatory approval.
This shift towards nuclear energy reflects a broader trend among tech giants to secure reliable power sources in the face of soaring energy demands and climate commitments.