Energy Secretary Granholm Emphasizes Need For Small Modular Reactors To Power AI Data Centers

In an appearance on CNBC Tuesday morning, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm sure seemed to acknowledge that small modular reactors – one technology we have claimed will be the future of powering AI – are all but a full on “go” for the future.

Granholm was asked about how data centers would be powered in the future. David Faber asked: “At the same time, we’ve been trying to, obviously, replace typical energy sources with renewables. We now have this incredible potential uptick in the need for power because of data centers and the growth of generative AI.”

“How do you see it playing out?” he asked. “I mean, we talk a lot about nuclear power. We were talking about Three Mile Island coming back online, or one of the reactors, and any number of other nuclear sites being recommissioned, so to speak. How is it going to mix out, given our power needs could be 20% higher than right now in a handful of years?”

Granholm responded: “The estimates are 15% higher within ten years as a result of both AI, as well as all this new manufacturing activity, and electrifying the transportation sector.”

She continued: “We are going to need more power. I’m telling you, we are adding that power. We’re adding record amounts of clean power.”

“In addition, the hyperscalers for these big data centers all have commitments to clean energy too, and they don’t want to see themselves located in a community where their demand for power causes everybody else’s rates to go up.”

“They’re committed—telling us—to bringing that power with them, which is why the need for nuclear small modular reactors, colocating data centers with small reactors, or partnerships,” Granhom said.

“For example, with Constellation and Microsoft for Three Mile Island to turn on more power. We’ve got a ton of nuclear sites in this country that have been permitted for additional reactors that could be powering data centers as well. We’re working with those.”

You can watch the full appearance here: