The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the identification of 16 federal sites, including prestigious nuclear research facilities like Los Alamos, as potential locations for tech companies to construct data centers. This initiative aims to expedite the commercial advancement of artificial intelligence technology by leveraging the infrastructure and permitting advantages of these sites, some of which already have energy facilities in place, allowing for the speedy implementation of new energy generation projects like nuclear power.
The decision to target these sites aligns with an executive order signed by former President Joe Biden in January to facilitate the expansion of AI data centers in the United States and promote their utilization of renewable energy sources due to the substantial electricity consumption of such facilities. Despite efforts by former President Donald Trump to revoke many of Biden's AI-related policies, Trump expressed support for the establishment of data centers on federal lands, acknowledging their significance.
Several national laboratories, including Los Alamos and Sandia in New Mexico, as well as Oak Ridge in Tennessee, have been highlighted as potential locations for data center construction. The increasing demand for data centers, particularly driven by emerging AI advancements like chatbots and generative AI tools, necessitates more robust computing resources.
A recent Department of Energy report revealed that electricity consumption by U.S. data centers has tripled over the past decade and is forecasted to double or triple by 2028, potentially accounting for up to 12% of the country's total electricity consumption. Both Biden and Trump administrations have emphasized the importance of accelerating the development of nuclear reactors to provide clean energy solutions.
While Biden's order emphasized the use of clean energy sources such as geothermal, solar, wind, and nuclear for AI infrastructure, the recent statement from the Energy Department under Trump's administration mainly emphasized nuclear power. Nonetheless, the department's call for information from data center and energy developers highlighted a range of electricity sources available at each site, including solar arrays and gas turbines.