OPINION:
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers is reshaping America’s energy landscape and national security priorities. These facilities are instrumental in enabling America to maintain its position as a global superpower. Stifling growth in this industry is not an option. We cannot allow an adversary, like China, to lead the world in AI development. The Chinese Communist Party already uses AI to advance its military and geopolitical ambitions. To be clear, this is a race we cannot afford to lose.
Data centers use enormous amounts of energy, placing greater strain on an already over-exerted energy grid. The United States Department of Energy notes that data centers used a little more than 4% of the nation’s electricity in 2023. By 2030, that number is expected to triple to a staggering 12% of domestic electricity use.
Make no mistake, I am fully behind America’s push to remain the world’s AI leader, and I applaud the Trump administration’s efforts to make that possible. This sector can bring thousands of high-paying jobs to America, stimulating our economy and keeping the country competitive in the global marketplace. However, we need a robust energy grid to seize this opportunity. Rolling blackouts and brownouts are becoming more common in markets where poor policy decisions have prioritized renewable pipedreams over reliable sources. If we maintain the status quo, we will be living up to Einstein’s definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
There is no silver bullet when it comes to solving our energy grid crisis. However, a good starting point would be to advance policy solutions that prioritize dispatchable 24/7 energy sources over intermittent ones. We are doing just that in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. A diversified national energy portfolio is the key to longevity, but it must be reliable. While natural gas, coal, and hydropower (region-dependent) can all help to meet this demand, there is another energy source that has the potential to propel our nation into a new generation of global leadership.
Allow me to introduce the nuclear option (no, not the Senate procedural motion). I believe that nuclear energy will have the largest role to play in fueling American AI development, and the time to act is now.
However, for nuclear energy to reach the pinnacle of American energy dominance, two things must happen: debunking the myths of the dangers of nuclear energy and fostering a financial ecosystem that encourages long-term, serious investments in the industry.
Ask anyone to name an incident involving nuclear power, and I guarantee they can cite Chernobyl. That happened nearly 40 years ago and was caused by faulty reactor design and operator error. That Soviet-designed RBMK reactor was destined to fail; we do things a little differently here in the U.S. Our reactors are pillars of stability. The domestic nuclear fleet consists of 54 plants hosting 94 reactors across 28 states. This fleet boasts a remarkable safety record, enabling the industry to operate at the highest levels of reliability and performance.
Private industry has driven innovation in the nuclear space. Partnered with a commonsense regulatory environment, support from milestone-based development programs at the DOE, implementation of the ADVANCE Act, and the reorganization of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, we are well-positioned to expand our nuclear fleet. However, we cannot support this advanced technology with antiquated systems and procedures.
We need a reliable fuel supply chain to power this revolution. Investments in mining, processing, and enrichment are critical to the growth of nuclear power. It would also be irresponsible not to address the storage of spent nuclear fuel and the need for reprocessing. With all the spent nuclear fuel currently sitting across our nation, we could power our current fleet for over 100 years with the right reprocessing.
We can build the fleet of the future, consisting of large reactors, small modular reactors (SMRs), and microreactors, the latter two of which can be scaled depending on demand. SMRs and microreactors also enable the industry to meet consumers where they are and where they will be going forward.
The current political climate, no pun intended, is poised perfectly for expanding our energy capabilities, and nuclear energy will be the catalyst for American excellence for generations to come. For us to achieve this goal, we cannot sit around while our adversaries take advantage of our inaction. Time is of the essence, and I hope my sense of urgency is shared across our great nation.
• Rep. Randy Weber is a third-generation Texan representing the 14th District of Texas. In Congress, he serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has the broadest jurisdiction of any legislative committee in Congress. Weber also serves on the Committee on Science Space and Technology.
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