The energy landscape in the U.S. is undergoing a seismic shift, owing in part to the exponential growth of generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications and data centers, according to McKinsey & Company. This rise in energy demand is further exacerbated by the country’s increasing seasonal cooling and heating needs due to extreme weather. To offset the rising consumption, Fortune 500 companies, as well as the federal and local governments, are now looking to advanced nuclear reactor technologies to bridge the widening gap between demand and power generation.
In its 2024–2025 “Winter Energy Market and Electric Reliability Assessment,” the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) expects electricity demand to be higher this winter compared to last winter as the grid takes on more responsibilities, among them, powering space heating, transportation, new manufacturing plants, and data centers. Similarly, in its annual report, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) found that meeting this growing winter demand is becoming increasingly difficult and complex.
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