Top VC firms including Sequoia, a16z, and Khosla Ventures are pouring billions into nuclear power and critical minerals as AI's explosive energy demands outpace existing infrastructure, with Valar Atomics raising $1 billion for small modular reactors and Mariana Minerals securing $310 million for mining operations.
OpenAI breaks ground on a massive $20B data center campus near Savannah, Georgia, while raising its total infrastructure spending to $750B through 2030, though the project's heavy reliance on natural gas power is sparking serious environmental concerns.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signs a first-in-nation executive order imposing a one-year moratorium on hyperscale AI data centers exceeding 50 megawatts, citing energy grid strain, water supply concerns, and noise pollution, as a new Gallup poll reveals 7 in 10 Americans oppose local data center construction.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signs the nation's first statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers, pausing environmental permits for up to one year while new regulations are developed to protect ratepayers, eliminate tech subsidies, and ensure host communities receive direct benefits.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signs the nation's first statewide data center moratorium, blocking new environmental permits for facilities over 50 megawatts for up to a year as regulators develop standards to address rising energy costs, water use, and air quality concerns amid a nationwide pushback against AI-driven data center …
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signs the nation's first statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, freezing state environmental permits for up to one year while a regulatory framework is developed to protect ratepayers, communities, and the environment — also targeting sales tax exemptions and requiring data centers to invest …
NVIDIA's next-gen Rubin AI servers eliminate fans entirely with 100% liquid cooling, running at 45°C to enable chiller-free operation, slashing hyperscale data center cooling costs by over $4 million annually while reducing facility water consumption by up to 100%.
NV Energy is cutting power to 49,000 Lake Tahoe residents by 2027, driven by surging data center demand in Nevada, leaving Liberty Utilities scrambling for a new energy source amid a growing national backlash against AI infrastructure.
Microsoft is considering abandoning its 2030 clean energy goal of matching 100% of its electricity use with renewable energy, as rapidly expanding AI data centers create power demands that make the ambitious target increasingly difficult to meet.
Meta secures a landmark deal with startup Overview Energy for up to 1 gigawatt of space-based solar power, harnessing satellite-collected energy to fuel its rapidly expanding AI data centers.