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Does nuclear fission make Oklo a high-risk, high-reward stock?
Yahoo Finance· 2025-09-24 00:59
Core Insights - The market is increasingly recognizing the potential of nuclear power energy companies like Oklo to address rising energy demands driven by the growth of data centers [1] Group 1: Energy Demand and Nuclear Power - The artificial intelligence revolution is leading to unprecedented energy demands, with projections indicating that by 2030, global data center growth would rank among the top 10 global power consumers [2] - Bank of America forecasts that data centers could consume more energy than Japan by 2026 and India by 2030, highlighting the urgent need for reliable energy sources [2] - Analysts emphasize that nuclear energy will be critical for energy resiliency, national security, and decarbonization in response to these escalating demands [2] Group 2: Oklo's Position and Strategy - Oklo, an advanced nuclear technology company, is positioned as a clean energy solution, having gone public in May 2024 through a SPAC merger, with its stock increasing by 553.3% year-to-date [3][7] - The company focuses on Small Modular Reactors (SMR), which are seen as a cheaper, safer, and faster method for electricity production, with a potential market size of $1 trillion by 2050 [4][7] - Oklo's strategy includes building and operating small-scale nuclear power plants and selling power directly to consumers, supported by a new recycling facility in Tennessee that will repurpose used fuel [5][6] Group 3: Future Outlook - The recycling facility in Tennessee is the first privately funded facility of its kind in the US, aimed at converting waste into gigawatts, thereby reducing costs and establishing a secure supply chain for clean energy [6] - The significant growth in Oklo's stock and the potential market for SMRs indicate a promising future for the company in the evolving energy landscape [3][7]
Google's data center energy use doubled in four years
TechCrunch· 2025-07-01 19:52
Core Insights - Google's data centers have seen a dramatic increase in electricity consumption, more than doubling from 14.4 million megawatt-hours in 2020 to 30.8 million megawatt-hours in 2024, indicating a growth of over 113% in just four years [1][2][5] - Data centers are responsible for 95.8% of Google's total electricity usage, highlighting the significant impact of this segment on the company's overall energy consumption [2] - The company's power usage effectiveness (PUE) has improved only marginally over the past decade, reaching 1.09 in 2024, suggesting that further efficiency gains may be challenging to achieve [6] Energy Strategy - Google is committed to using only carbon-free electricity sources, which has led to substantial investments in various energy technologies, including geothermal, nuclear fission, and fusion [7][10][15] - The company has made significant renewable energy purchases, including 600 megawatts of solar capacity in South Carolina and 700 megawatts in Oklahoma, as part of a broader $20 billion investment in carbon-free power plants [11][12] - Currently, about 66% of Google's data center electricity consumption is matched to the hour with carbon-free sources, but there are regional disparities, with Latin America achieving 92% while the Middle East and Africa only reach 5% [14]
Meta buys a nuclear power plant (more or less)
TechCrunch· 2025-06-03 16:34
Core Viewpoint - Meta is investing billions of dollars to purchase clean energy attributes from Constellation Energy's Clinton Clean Energy Center, ensuring the nuclear power plant's operation through 2047, which reflects a growing trend among tech companies to support the nuclear industry for sustainable energy solutions [1][4][5]. Group 1: Deal Details - Meta will buy all clean energy attributes from the 1.1 gigawatt Clinton Clean Energy Center starting in June 2027 [1]. - The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it is described as a multi-billion-dollar agreement that will assist Constellation in relicensing the plant and securing a customer for the license duration [3]. - The deal is seen as a way to prevent the potential closure of the Clinton reactor, which faced competition from cheaper energy sources [5]. Group 2: Industry Context - The nuclear power industry has gained renewed interest from big tech companies, including Meta, due to the increasing demand for energy driven by AI and cloud computing [4]. - Prior to this deal, the Clinton reactor was at risk of shutdown due to competition from natural gas, but legislative subsidies allowed it to remain operational [5]. - Meta has shown a strong interest in nuclear energy, soliciting proposals for new nuclear plants capable of generating between 1 to 4 gigawatts, receiving over 50 submissions from various states [7]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - The partnership with Meta allows Constellation to replace the expiring zero-emission credit program, ensuring the long-term operation of the Clinton plant without relying on ratepayer support [7]. - This deal follows a similar agreement between Constellation and Microsoft, indicating a trend of tech companies becoming patrons of nuclear energy [8].