Powering AI the Nuclear Way
By Fay Capstick
In previous blogs, we have looked at the problem of data centres such as where to put them and how to power them. We have also investigated AI and the huge amount of power that is needed for it to run. This week we look at one of the solutions chosen by Microsoft: to recommission a notorious nuclear reactor.
What has happened?
Microsoft has announced how it plans to meet some of the energy required to power AI. They will be recommissioning a nuclear reactor. Many will recognise the name immediately: Three Mile Island.
Remind me, where is Three Mile Island?
Three Mile Island is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
And what happened there?
The incident at the Three Mile Island nuclear facility happened 45 years ago, at 4 am on 28th March 1979.
There was a partial nuclear meltdown of Unit 2 reactor. It caused radioactive gases and radioactive iodine to be released into the atmosphere. On the logarithmic scale of nuclear accidents, it is rated a 5 out of 7.
Why is it memorable?
Because it is the worst accident in US commercial nuclear power plant history.
What caused the accident?
The Three Mile incident was caused and compounded by a number of things: a faulty relief valve which allowed water to escape, mechanical failures, poor staff training, design flaws, and equipment failures all working together.
Evacuate!
After the leak schools were shut and residents were told to stay inside with their windows shut. Pregnant women and preschool children within 20 miles of the reactor were asked to voluntarily leave the area, resulting in 140,000 leaving. Most were gone for 3 weeks.
What was the result?
Worry from the public about the safety of nuclear power. This led to new laws governing the nuclear industry.
There were no injuries or deaths resulting from the meltdown. Studies on whether there was an increase in cancer cases are inconclusive.
The feeling of distrust in nuclear power never fully diminished and the industry faced opposition when trying to get permission to build new nuclear reactors. However, things are starting to shift and people local to the reactor are in favour of it being restarted.
The clean-up operation
Shockingly, the clean-up operation at Three Mile Island took 15 years, until December 1993 and cost $2 billion.
Then what happened to Unit 2 reactor?
Unit 2 reactor was actually restarted in 1985, before being retired in 2019.
So why are we talking about this now?
Microsoft has announced that they plan to get Unit 2 reactor working again by 2028. This is to help meet the huge demand that the tech industry has to power its data centres.
Why is Microsoft restarting the reactor?
Microsoft has to do something to meet the needs of the AI Revolution, and the huge amount of power that data centres need to process our AI requests. This is something we have investigated in previous blogs at Parker Shaw.
The restarting of this reactor alone will generate 835 megawatts of energy (which is enough to power 800,000 homes).
When will this happen?
The reactor will be back online after some upgrades in 2028, and Microsoft has a 20-year agreement to purchase the power from the owner, Constellation Energy. The upgrades will cost $1.6 billion.
Is this a good thing?
Yes, many would see it as a good thing. The demands that AI places on power consumption are huge, and nuclear power is a clean source of carbon-free energy. AI is only going to need more energy, so the current huge power demand will magnify.
Even with the risk of nuclear accidents, nuclear is still a (relatively) safe and clean way of meeting these energy demands in a way that doesn’t put a strain on environmental resources, as it is a clean and renewable source of power.
What does Microsoft say?
Microsoft has described it as a “milestone” event, and one that will help to “decarbonize the grid.”
What are the other benefits of Microsoft using this nuclear reactor?
The benefit to the local Pennsylvania economy is huge, as there will be a boost of 3,400 direct and indirect jobs created and deliver $3 billion in taxes and add $16 billion to the GDP of Pennsylvania.
What do we think?
We think that on balance this is a positive step to meeting the demand that our tech is placing on power systems. With correct regulations and safety nuclear power is a clean and green way to generate energy.
Nuclear power will come into a new era with the demand from AI. Amazon is also looking at using nuclear energy to meet demand and we expect that others will follow.
Final thoughts
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