Nuclear For Australia calls for nuclear energy to power sovereign AI in federal submission

Nuclear for Australia made a submission to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence, calling for the federal nuclear power prohibitions to be lifted so nuclear can help power Australia's sovereign AI capability.

Read the submission

Key findings:

• Sovereign AI is impossible without plentiful, reliable, clean power. Data centres are critical enabling infrastructure for AI and require vast amounts of energy.
• A single frontier AI training run required approximately 100-150 MW in 2025 and is projected to reach 1-2 GW by 2028 and exceed 4 GW by 2030.
• AEMO projects data centre electricity demand will reach 13.4% of the National Electricity Market by FY36, and up to 17% of grid-supplied electricity under its accelerated scenario.
• Data centres have a load factor nearing 90%, requiring continuous, reliable electricity.
• Nuclear power had an average 2024 capacity factor in the United States of 92.3%, compared to coal at 42.6%, wind 34.3% and solar 23.4%.
• Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Meta have entered into agreements involving nuclear energy abroad, and Australian data centre leaders have called for the prohibition to be lifted.
• Six microreactors have achieved criticality in the United States, and advanced reactors including microreactors could be deployed in Australia before 2035.
• Recommendation 1: Repeal the Commonwealth prohibitions on nuclear energy in the ARPANS Act 1998 and the EPBC Act 1999, to allow for private investment in nuclear energy.
• Recommendation 2: The Australian Government undertake modelling to deepen understanding of the long-term data centre energy requirements.

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