Meta does it right with nuclear power

Meta did something right, and it deserves recognition and replication.

Recently, the American-owned technology company announced a private partnership with three nuclear firms, Vistra, Terra Power, and Oklo, to expand electricity production supporting their own data center needs and generating surplus power to benefit the regional grid.

This should happen anywhere data centers are in the discussion. It is what every politician courting the tech communities to build data centers in their city or state must expect going forward, because right now data centers face massive opposition, and no amount of spin will fix it.

The main concern about data centers is their incredible electricity need. Of course, we all like and use technology, and your average American even fundamentally embraces the patriotic need to “beat China” in the AI race. None of that denies the “affordability” issue, and the frustration of ratepayer who have yet to see a tangible benefit ubiquitous data centers bring to his personal life. To highlight this, let me use the example of a rural Virginia farmer: me.

For years, Virginia enjoyed bipartisan enthusiasm for data centers. A third of the nation’s data centers are in the Commonwealth, and every politician relishes ribbon cutting photos and self-congratulatory press releases promoting “investment” and “jobs” and “tax revenue.”

What do I see? I see my farm’s electric bill 40% higher than it was in 2020 with a projected 14% increase this year. For all of the historic revenue, my tax burden remains the same (or higher). From my perspective, data centers are a burden.

There is a general good, and I am happy for all the construction jobs, electricians, cement and steel workers. There is new money for “education.” I can find dozens of statements celebrating essential programs for “mental health” and “nutrition” and whatever else sounds caring.

None of this benefits me. In fact, it costs me several hundred dollars more per year. I would at least like a thank you. Maybe a fruit basket.

Meta did something right, and it deserves recognition and replication. It did not just announce a plan to build expecting ratepayers would finance it through higher monthly bills. It brought its own money and government coordination to tell the locals things could actually… get better. Imagine that.

Our elected leaders should be building nuclear power plants (and coal power plants and natural gas power plants) because we are in desperate need of increased baseline power, something Energy Secretary Chris Wright deeply understands and regularly addresses. During recent remarks to Meta, the Secretary mentioned that decades ago, before Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg was even born, he was studying nuclear power in college, and here he is, decades later, helping usher it into reality.

Meta has the money. Vistra, Terra Power, and Oklo have the know-how, and Chris Wright has the humility to let it happen. Government as a willing facilitator to online new energy technologies for the benefit of us all. Imagine that.

I named my organization Power The Future deliberately. What will power the future?  “God only knows…” to quote The Beach Boys, but one thing which I do know, of which I am certain, the geniuses who will power the future with new technologies and new energy sources are, right now, in need of reliable, affordable, abundant energy, American energy, and if we punish ourselves now by punishing energy, we are not hastening that better tomorrow. We are conscripting ourselves to the status quo.

AI is likely going to figure out how to power the future, but AI will not happen unless more power comes online fast. Meta did it the right way, and every tech company with data center desires should take note. We may just be simple farmers, but we vote and we fight. You can win us over if you treat us right, and Meta is the first to do so.

Daniel Turner is the founder and executive director of Power The Future, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs. Contact him at daniel@powerthefuture.com and follow him on Twitter @DanielTurnerPTF