News: Big Tech companies such as Google, Microsoft are scouting for nuclear energy from Small Modular Reactors (SMR) as training AI models, maintaining data centres are energy hungry tasks.
1. Small Nuclear Reactors (SNR) are smaller than the traditional nuclear power plants, offering an output of 30 to 300 MWe per unit.
2. The SNR offers the advantages of compactness, reduced cost and construction time, improved Safety standards and reduced fuel requirement.
3. Google’s total greenhouse gas emissions rose by 13% in 2023 year-over-year as it continues the process of AI transition.
4. However, nuclear energy has a serious reputation problem due to past nuclear accidents such as Ukraine’s Chernobyl explosion (1986), Japan’s Fukushima accident (1986).
