Can they build it safely as fast as the data center it's meant to power? Full steam ahead then.
Three Mile Island
"2027 – Nuclear Regulatory Commission to decide whether to issue operating license to Constellation Energy, with the decision expected in May. If granted, Constellation expects to bring the reactor back online later in the year."
https://www.witf.org/2026/07/28/three-mile-island-reactor-re...
Michigan’s Palisades nuclear power plant
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/nuclear/americas-first-...
Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nextera-energy-partn...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Arnold_Energy_Center#Res...
> Your requirements is like demanding nobody can buy a house unless they have pay they entire amount upfront.
No it's like demanding your new neighbors aren't forced to lend you money for your purchase - which is entirely reasonable. If you need money, get it from the bank.
The top-level comment explains it already:
"When you drop a data center into an area, energy prices will spike. Additionally, without that green energy capacity they will cause much more air pollution."
Is the idea that we'd build the data centers now, and finish the nuclear plants to power them 11-12 years from now?
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Typical-timeline-of-a-nu...
https://jmhpower.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-wind-t...
That's still better than 11-12 years. How long does a solar farm take?
If residents' opposition is rooted in higher power prices, data centers could just pay extra instead until the new capacity comes online. Seems like a cheap way to pay off opposition.
> An offshore wind turbine project requires about 7-10 years.
Given this article is about Pennsylvania, it'll probably take millions of years.
24–48 months, but for a data center that has to run 24/7 you need to also build a gas power plant.
https://www.pvfarm.io/blog/utility-scale-solar-project-devel...
https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/betting-big-data-ce...
Also residential and industrial use will be lower at night. So the existing grid supply may also be enough.
The famous evening duck curve, when people go home and cook and turn on heating/cooling appliances. California is able to flatten that out with batteries alone.
https://eticaag.com/battery-storage-and-the-duck-curve-march...
> during night
When everyone's asleep? Serious doubt, please show your sources.
Lot of industry, especialy heavy industry, chemical plants are running 24/7.
For expensive night prices see electricity prices in Europe, expensive natural gas, coal power production with carbom tax.
https://app.electricitymaps.com/map/zone/DE/live/fifteen_min...
Right...so they also run during the day (that's what 24/7 means), when everyone else is using electricity. At night they're the only users. Which means less demand at night compared to the day.
> see electricity prices in Europe
This article is about Pennsylvania. That isn't in Europe.
You are right, PJM grid is coal, nuclear and gas dominated.
https://app.electricitymaps.com/map/zone/US-MIDA-PJM/live/fi...
* Highest is 14:00 until 18:00 or 21:00
* Lowest is 23:00 or 24:00 until 6:00
* The longest piece for wind is "Approvals and permits" which takes up to 5 years of the 4-7y.
* The building part "takes approximately 3-6 months" for building wind.
So wind can be built far faster if we're willing to speed up approvals and permitting. And even if corners are cut for approvals/permitting, the worst case for a wind turbine failure is a lot better than a nuclear failure.
Have data center companies mortgaged their property to the public and paying interest on "power loans" monthly ? Please correct me if I am ignorant.
Though we really should get better at building nuclear power plants. I'm think more of small ones to power ships though, not land based ones. Ships are one of the few places where oil/coal are used that there are not realistic renewable alternatives.