Meta is launching a request for proposals (RFP) to identify potential nuclear energy developers to support 1.4GW of new nuclear generation capacity across the US.
The tech giant is seeking developers who can help accelerate the availability of new nuclear generators, create sufficient scale to deploy multiple units, and achieve material cost reductions.
Meta will prioritize developers who permit, design, engineer, finance, construct, and operate these power plants.
Organizations interested in participating in the RFP are invited to complete an application form by 3 January 2025. Initial RFP proposals are due on 7 February 2025.
This is Meta’s second attempt to gain a foothold in the nuclear energy sector. Early last month, a potential nuclear power supply deal for an artificial intelligence data center was reportedly obstructed by the discovery of a rare bee species on the land where the project was planned.
Nuclear energy has become a hot topic in the data center sector during 2024. In September, Microsoft announced it would take up 100 percent of a revived Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in an 837MW, 20-year deal. It has also previously signed PPA deals to procure the output of several other nuclear plants.
Back in March, AWS acquired Talen Energy’s data center campus next to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania for $650 million.
Earlier this month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) however rejected a proposed interconnection service agreement (ISA) for the nuclear power station that would have supported an expanded colocated load at the AWS data center connected to the 2.5GW plant, enabling it to serve the data center behind the meter.
Hyperscalers have also become increasingly interested in the small modular reactor sector, signing a spate of deals. For example, last month, Amazon Web Services (AWS) signed three nuclear power deals in the US, including an agreement with Energy Northwest, a consortium of state public utilities, that will enable the development of four advanced SMRs.
In addition, Google announced a 500MW deal with SMR provider Kairos Power. The firm expects the first of the six to seven reactors under the agreement to come online in 2030.
The US has prioritized nuclear as a crucial power source. Last month, the Joe Biden administration launched a roadmap to support the deployment of 200GW of nuclear power in the US by 2050.
The roadmap would add 35GW by 2035 and see nuclear plants restarted, upgraded, and wholly built from scratch. It expects 15GW to be added per year by 2040.
Last month, the DOE announced $900 million in funding for small modular nuclear reactor projects. It is also pumping $2.5bn into an Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.
However, with the Biden Administration set to depart in January, it remains unclear whether President-elect Donald Trump will maintain such robust support.
Trump has previously spoken highly of nuclear power but has also threatened to reduce federal funding for agencies that would be crucial in supporting its growth.
