A quiet but significant shift is underway in America's energy sector. As the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and data centers strains power grids, major utilities are pointing to a potential nuclear revival in their annual reports. The driving force? Long-term contracts with tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta, who are now seeking to underwrite entire nuclear plants to lock in 24/7 carbon-free power, moving beyond simple renewable credits.

This pivot, however, follows a path first blazed by an unlikely group: Bitcoin miners. Years before the current AI boom, mining operations began experimenting with a direct model, placing their high-performance computing rigs next to large, steady power sources. They identified nuclear—once considered a fading industry—as essential future infrastructure.

One pioneer was TeraWulf, which partnered in 2021 with Talen Energy to build the Nautilus Cryptomine facility adjacent to Pennsylvania's Susquehanna nuclear plant, drawing power directly from the reactors. The data supports the trend. According to the University of Cambridge's research, nuclear's share of Bitcoin mining electricity rose from about 4% in 2021 to nearly 9% in 2022, now hovering near 10%. When combined with hydro and wind, sustainable sources power over half of the network.

Today, both AI and crypto industries are looking at the next phase: small modular reactors (SMRs). These scalable, faster-to-deploy units are ideal for colocation with energy-hungry data centers. Google has already inked deals to develop SMRs, a blueprint that could soon serve large-scale mining operations. The convergence of these two demanding sectors is reshaping the nation's power strategy, with nuclear energy firmly back at the table.

Source: CoinTelegraph