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NN Asks: How can nuclear energy support the rising energy demand from data centers?
Nicolas Stauff
Data centers power our digital lives—along with many aspects of our economy and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence. Electricity demand is rising rapidly, with the domestic data center load projected to increase from 4 percent to 9 percent of U.S. electricity consumption by 2030. This surge is already reshaping utility planning, grid interconnection queues, and the market for reliable power nationwide.
Nuclear energy is well matched to data center needs, because it provides reliable, 24/7 electricity with stable long-term costs. Modern hyperscale data center campuses can require hundreds of megawatts for IT equipment and cooling, and many applications demand maximum uptime. At the same time, leading hyperscalers have aggressive decarbonization commitments that limit reliance on fossil generation. Data centers also require fiber connectivity, a skilled workforce, and local acceptance—yet they can deliver meaningful tax base and employment impacts, especially when coupled with a major energy project.
John P. Barton
Nuclear Technology | Volume 15 | Number 1 | July 1972 | Pages 56-67
Technical Paper | Radioisotope | doi.org/10.13182/NT72-A31162
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Studies have been performed to evaluate the isotopic neutron source 252Cf for neutron radioraphy. By special methods of fine tuning it is possible to obtain neutron radiographs that can be compared with those obtained from a nuclear reactor facility using very low collimation (gadolinium foil converter, medium resolution film, 1:25 collimator ratio). The 252Cf exposure necessary for this quality neutron radiograph is 1 mg for 100 h (or 10 mg for 10 h, etc.). A neutron source, 244Cm-Be, expected to become available as a by-product of the nuclear power program, provides neutron radiographs similar in quality to those from 252Cf.
