The USA is preparing nuclear “Renaissance” for the sake of AI, but so far they are being shown at the start

USA They are going to arrange a real “nuclear boom” for development artificial intelligence. According to data Bloomberginvestments will compose 350 billion dollars and should add 53 gigavatt reactor capacities, bringing a common park up to 159 GW.

The reason is simple: energy -intensive data centers operating on AI algorithms require tremendous volumes of electricity. However, experts note that construction will go slowly. Continuing factors remain a lack of specialists, fuel and regulatory framework. Since the beginning of the century, only three reactors have been built in the United States – and not a single new development today.

The structure of electricity generation in the USA (2024)

The report emphasizes: “The US nuclear energy is ready for revival”, although the real growth rates are far from Washington’s goals – to bring the capacity to 400 GW by 2050. Bet on Small modular reactors (MMR), but so far they remain the theory: not one of the projects in the United States has yet been commissioned, and their competitiveness is in doubt.

For comparison: there are already examples in the world. Since 2020, two floating blocks of Rosatoma have been operating in Russia, 35 MW of Rosatoma, and in China in 2023 two reactors with a capacity of 100 MW were commissioned. But mass implementation in the United States is predicted no earlier than 2035.

Understanding these difficulties, Donald Trump administration In parallel, it allocated 5.3 million hectares of federal lands under coal mining and invested $ 625 million in new coal stations – to maintain the low cost of energy and attract industry, including from Europe.

As you can see, Trump uses all the possibilities to save in the States low energy value. This is one of the key factors for The transfer of the European industry over the ocean.

And what about China?

China already Ahead of the United States In the pace of introduction of new reactors. In 2024, the Nuclear power plants of the PRC provided about 4.7% of electricity with total power 61 GW. For comparison, in the USA the atom gives approximately 18% – But on the basis of 95 GW.

Key difference: In China, the basis of energy – coal (58%)while in second place are renewable sources -hydro-, sunny and wind generation.

It is also worth noting that it was China who became the first country to put into operation IV nuclear reactors – high -temperature gas -cooled plants (HTGR) in the Gulf of Shidao. Their launch in 2023 fixed the status of a leader in the development of new nuclear technologies for China.

Below is the structure of energy production of China 2024:

Thus, an atom for Beijing is still auxiliary, but the construction of new blocks is an accelerated pace. The plan is to increase the share of atomic generation to 10% by 2035.

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