Meta’s Two-Pronged Energy Strategy: Nuclear Reactors and Orbital Solar to Power AI Growth

Meta Platforms is tackling a mounting power problem head-on. Its AI data centers consumed 18,000 gigawatt-hours in 2024—enough electricity for 1.7 million U.S. homes—and demand is accelerating. To keep up, the company is placing two very different bets: one on next-generation nuclear reactors, the other on harvesting sunlight from space.

In the nearer term, nuclear dominates. Deals announced in January 2026 unlock up to 6.6 gigawatts by 2035, enough for five million homes. Vistra Corp. will supply over 2.1 gigawatts from its Davis-Besse and Perry plants in Ohio, plus upgrades at Beaver Valley in Pennsylvania. TerraPower and Oklo, backed by Bill Gates and Sam Altman respectively, are developing advanced reactors targeted for 2030–2032. The first output will feed Meta’s Prometheus AI supercluster in New Albany, Ohio—a one-gigawatt facility coming online this year.

But Meta is also looking to orbit. A new agreement with Virginia-based startup Overview Energy aims for up to 1 gigawatt of space-based solar power. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit will collect sunlight continuously and beam it as safe, low-intensity near-infrared light to existing ground solar farms—extending output through the night without new land or grid connections. An orbital demo is planned by January 2028, with commercial delivery by 2030.

The space solar approach sidesteps older technology hurdles. Microwaves require vast receiving antennas, and lasers raise safety concerns. Overview’s near-infrared beams are broad and eye-safe, working with solar panels already installed. The startup, which emerged from stealth in December 2025, has a board stacked with former NASA administrators and a former FERC chair.

Meta continues to invest in renewables as well, matching 100% of its 2024 electricity use with clean energy purchases and targeting 30 gigawatts of capacity. A June 2025 deal with Constellation will revive Illinois’s Clinton nuclear plant for 20 years. Still, challenges remain: space-based solar has never been deployed commercially, and advanced reactors face regulatory timelines. Oklo’s 75-megawatt Ohio reactor is still awaiting approval.

For now, the strategy is clear. Nuclear provides the reliable, round-the-clock power that AI infrastructure demands, while orbital solar offers a long-term hedge. Meta joins Microsoft, Google, and Amazon in chasing nuclear, but it’s the biggest corporate buyer to date. As U.S. power demand surges—driven first by AI—the company is securing gigawatts years ahead, betting on both atoms and sunlight to keep its models running.

Source: Webpronews