Meta (META) Stock; Rises as Company Secures 6 GW Nuclear Power for U.S. AI Data Centers

TLDRs;

• Meta’s 6 GW nuclear agreements signal long-term commitment to reliable, carbon-free power for expanding U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure.
• Partnerships with Vistra, Oklo, and TerraPower combine near-term nuclear supply with future small modular reactor capacity.
• Regulatory timelines mean much of the new nuclear power may not arrive until the early 2030s.
• Federal 24/7 clean energy rules and grid reforms strengthen the case for co-located nuclear-powered data centers.

Meta shares moved higher after reports that the company has lined up access to more than 6 gigawatts of nuclear power to support the rapid expansion of its artificial intelligence infrastructure across the United States.

Meta Platforms, Inc., META

The agreements, which combine power purchases from existing nuclear plants and long-term backing for next-generation reactors, underscore how energy availability is becoming a strategic constraint in the global AI race.

The social media and advertising giant is scaling some of the largest data centers ever built, driven by soaring demand for training and running advanced AI models. These facilities require massive, constant electricity supplies, pushing Big Tech to look beyond traditional grids and into long-term, dedicated power arrangements.

Nuclear Power as Strategic Infrastructure

Meta’s plan involves sourcing electricity from three operating nuclear plants owned by Vistra Corp. in Ohio and Pennsylvania, providing near-term, carbon-free baseload power.

At the same time, the company is supporting future output from small modular reactor (SMR) developers Oklo and TerraPower, both of which are backed by prominent technology investors and aim to commercialize advanced nuclear designs in the next decade.

The combined capacity from these arrangements could exceed 6 gigawatts, enough to power millions of homes and a substantial portion of Meta’s U.S. AI footprint. Two of the company’s flagship facilities, the Prometheus data center in Ohio and the planned Hyperion complex in Louisiana, are expected to be among the primary beneficiaries of the nuclear supply strategy.

Big Tech’s Bet on Small Reactors

While electricity from existing plants can be delivered immediately, much of the long-term growth depends on SMRs that have yet to be built or fully licensed. TerraPower’s first commercial reactor is targeting operation in the early 2030s, while Oklo is pursuing an accelerated regulatory pathway, with the hope of bringing its first unit online around the end of the decade.

Regulatory hurdles remain significant. Even under streamlined processes, approvals for first-of-a-kind nuclear technologies often take years, and construction timelines can slip. Analysts caution that meaningful revenue and large-scale power delivery from these projects may not materialize until well after 2027, making near-term grid and fossil-fuel backup essential.

Gas as a Bridge, Nuclear as the Goal

To ensure uninterrupted power for its most energy-hungry facilities, Meta is also planning interim solutions. For the Hyperion site in Louisiana, natural gas generation is expected to play a supporting role until nuclear capacity becomes available.

The local utility has already moved to secure additional gas supply, reflecting how hyperscale data centers are reshaping regional energy planning.

This dual-track approach, gas in the short term, nuclear in the long term, highlights the tension between sustainability targets and operational realities. AI workloads cannot tolerate intermittent supply, making constant baseload generation a priority even as companies pursue carbon-free goals.

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