Google to develop gigawatt AI campuses post nuclear reactor revival move

NextEra Energy and Google Cloud have expanded their partnership to develop multiple gigawatt-scale data center campuses across the U.S., building on an existing portfolio of about 3.5 GW of power capacity. This initiative aims to meet the growing energy demands of the technology sector, particularly for artificial intelligence (AI) operations, by accelerating data center deployment and addressing infrastructure challenges such as land acquisition, load interconnection, and power generation. A key element of their energy strategy is the revival of nuclear power, highlighted by plans to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa and add 600 megawatts of clean energy capacity to Oklahoma’s grid. NextEra has filed regulatory requests with FERC and the NRC to restore grid connection rights and shift from a planned solar project back to nuclear baseload power to ensure steady energy supply. Beyond physical infrastructure, the collaboration includes a digital transformation of NextEra’s operations using Google Cloud’s AI tools, such as the TimesFM 2.5 forecasting model and Weather