In addition to nuclear fission, Microsoft is also investing in nuclear fusion, signing a power purchase agreement with fusion startup Helion. Despite these ambitious plans, Microsoft currently faces significant power and water bills, which are expected to increase due to the growing interest in AI.
Key takeaways:
- Microsoft is planning to power its AI training with nuclear reactors, according to a recent job listing, and is considering the use of small modular reactors (SMRs) which are cheaper and more flexible than full-scale nuclear power stations.
- Before this can happen, Microsoft will need to overcome several challenges, including sourcing a working SMR design, obtaining the highly enriched uranium fuel required by these reactors, and figuring out how to store the resulting nuclear waste long-term.
- Microsoft founder Bill Gates has started an incubator for SMR designs called TerraPower, but currently, there are no agreements to sell reactors to Microsoft.
- Microsoft is also investing in nuclear fusion and has signed a power purchase agreement with fusion startup Helion, with the aim of buying electricity from it by 2028.