Meta had plans to build a nuclear-powered AI data center in the United States, and it already knew where it wanted to build the facility. However, according to the Financial Times, the company was forced to cancel the project after a rare species of bee was discovered on land set aside for the project. The company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, was reportedly prepared to sign a deal with an existing nuclear power plant operator to supply emissions-free energy to the plants. He told staff at an all-hands meeting last week that a forced vote was not possible because the honey bee discovery would expose the company to numerous regulatory challenges, the paper said.
Zuckerberg reportedly told staff that if the deal had gone forward, Meta would have gotten its first nuclear-powered AI. It could still happen if the company can figure out a way, but it will need to act quickly because its biggest rivals are also investing in nuclear energy. In September, Microsoft announced its intention to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to power its AI efforts. Meanwhile, Google has partnered with startup Kairos Power to build seven small nuclear reactors in the United States to power its data centers starting in 2030. And in mid-October, Amazon announced three contracts with different companies to build small modular nuclear reactors.
The Times would not say whether Meta is looking for a new location, one that doesn’t have rare honey bees nearby. One of the sources said only that Meta is still exploring various emissions-free energy deals, including nuclear, to power its future AI data centers.
