The meta The ambitious plan to establish a nuclear-powered AI data center in the United States has hit a significant hurdle due to the discovery of a rare bee species at the proposed site, Financial Times reports.

The initiative aimed to partner with an existing nuclear power plant to provide emissions-free electricity to a new data center dedicated to artificial intelligence operations. However, the identification of a rare species of bees on land earmarked for construction has introduced environmental complications.

The setback comes as other tech giants, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft, have struck deals with nuclear power operators to meet the growing energy demands of their data centers. AI models require significant computing power, leading to increased energy consumption.

Despite this challenge, Meta remains committed to exploring carbon-free energy solutions, including potential future collaborations involving nuclear power.

The company has achieved net zero emissions in its operations since 2020 and continues to seek sustainable energy sources to support its AI infrastructure.

The tech industry’s interest in nuclear power comes from its potential to provide stable, 24-hour power critical to AI operations. However, nuclear power presents challenges such as high upfront costs, long construction times, and concerns over radioactive waste management.

(Picture: British)

In the United States, Microsoft announced plans to revive the dormant Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, and Amazon invested $650 million to establish a data center adjacent to the Susquehanna Steam Electric nuclear power plant.

Internationally, countries like China are moving rapidly in the development of nuclear power, building new reactors at a rapid pace. This disparity highlights the different approaches to nuclear energy adoption around the world.