In a bold and strategic move to support its rapidly expanding AI infrastructure, Meta has signed a 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy to procure 1.1 gigawatts of nuclear energy from the Clinton Clean Energy Centre in Illinois, beginning in June 2027.
This long-term partnership underscores the tech giant’s commitment to clean, reliable energy as it scales its next-generation artificial intelligence products and services.
AI Growth Demands Reliable Energy
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and the Llama family of large language models, is investing heavily in infrastructure to support AI workloads, particularly in generative AI, immersive virtual environments, and real-time recommendation engines.
These technologies require enormous computational resources, which in turn demand a stable and continuous power supply.
AI doesn’t sleep—and neither can our data centres
Meta Representative
To keep up with global demand for intelligent systems, we need energy solutions that are not only clean but also constant. Nuclear power fills that gap
The Clinton Clean Energy Centre, operated by Constellation Energy, is one of the most reliable nuclear facilities in the United States.
It has a strong track record of uptime and environmental compliance, making it an ideal partner in Meta’s sustainability journey.
From Solar to Fission: Meta’s Evolving Energy Strategy
While Meta has long invested in solar and wind energy projects—often announcing large-scale renewable power purchase agreements (PPAs)—this new deal reflects a strategic evolution.
Unlike solar and wind, which are intermittent and subject to weather variability, nuclear power provides a consistent and uninterrupted energy stream, 24/7.
This is especially important as Meta’s AI infrastructure grows more complex. AI workloads such as training large models or running real-time inference on user-generated data cannot tolerate fluctuations in power availability.
As Meta races to remain competitive in the AI arms race with rivals such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, it must ensure that reliable energy sources support its data centres. The Clinton deal is a proactive step toward that goal.
Sustainability Meets Economic Stability
In addition to helping Meta meet its net-zero emissions target by 2030, the nuclear deal brings several economic and social benefits to the region:
- Preserving Local Jobs: The Clinton plant employs hundreds of skilled workers. Meta’s long-term commitment ensures continued operations and local employment.
- Generating Tax Revenue: The facility contributes millions of dollars in tax revenue, supporting public schools, infrastructure, and emergency services in DeWitt County, Illinois.
- Boosting U.S. Clean Energy Leadership: Inking a high-profile deal with a tech titan like Meta reinforces the relevance of nuclear energy in the clean energy transition and positions the U.S. as a leader in sustainable tech infrastructure.
What This Means for the AI Ecosystem
Meta’s nuclear deal is more than just a power purchase agreement—it’s a signal to the broader industry.
As generative AI and machine learning dominate the tech landscape, energy access is becoming a competitive advantage.
The energy demands of AI are already reshaping how companies plan data centre locations, negotiate with utility providers, and approach carbon neutrality.
Expect more deals like this in the coming years, particularly as AI models grow more sophisticated and require ever more processing power.
For tech giants, power strategy is now a core business strategy.
A Lesson for Africa’s Digital Future
For regions like Africa, Meta’s energy move is instructive. As the continent ramps up its own digital and AI ambitions across various sectors, including agriculture, fintech, healthcare, and education, energy availability and stability remain critical constraints.
While nuclear energy may not yet be a widespread option in Africa due to infrastructure and regulatory limitations, the Meta-Constellation deal underscores the need for long-term, clean energy planning.
African nations can draw lessons from this move to explore scalable alternatives such as:
- Small modular reactors (SMRs)
- Solar microgrids
- Hydropower
- Battery-backed renewables
By investing early in clean and stable energy systems, African nations can prepare for the inevitable rise in AI adoption and digital services.
The future of tech on the continent will depend not just on internet access but on the power behind the processors.
