Overview

• The Department of Energy has designated 16 federal sites, including Los Alamos and Oak Ridge, for AI data centers and nuclear power plants.
• This initiative builds on a Biden-era executive order but shifts focus under the Trump administration to prioritize nuclear energy over other renewable sources.
• The DOE plans to leverage existing energy infrastructure at these sites to accelerate permitting and construction, with private-public partnerships central to funding and development.
• AI data centers are projected to consume up to 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028, highlighting the urgency of expanding energy capacity.
• The effort underscores the U.S. government's strategic push to maintain global leadership in AI, likened to the Manhattan Project in scale and importance.