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NN Asks: How can nuclear energy support the rising energy demand from data centers?
Nicolas Stauff
Data centers power our digital lives—along with many aspects of our economy and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence. Electricity demand is rising rapidly, with the domestic data center load projected to increase from 4 percent to 9 percent of U.S. electricity consumption by 2030. This surge is already reshaping utility planning, grid interconnection queues, and the market for reliable power nationwide.
Nuclear energy is well matched to data center needs, because it provides reliable, 24/7 electricity with stable long-term costs. Modern hyperscale data center campuses can require hundreds of megawatts for IT equipment and cooling, and many applications demand maximum uptime. At the same time, leading hyperscalers have aggressive decarbonization commitments that limit reliance on fossil generation. Data centers also require fiber connectivity, a skilled workforce, and local acceptance—yet they can deliver meaningful tax base and employment impacts, especially when coupled with a major energy project.
Kenneth Petersen is an executive consultant to the nuclear power industry, providing strategy, management, and technical consulting related to nuclear fuel and special nuclear material. Prior to his retirement in November 2021, Petersen was Exelon Generation Company’s (EGC’s) vice president for nuclear fuels. In this role, he provided governance and oversight for all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle for Exelon’s fleet of 21 operational reactors and three retired reactors. He led Exelon’s fuel purchasing, nuclear core design and related safety analyses, and spent fuel management.
Petersen has nearly three decades of experience purchasing nuclear fuel, and during his 12 years as ECG’s vice president for nuclear fuels, he oversaw the company’s $1 billion annual budget for nuclear fuel procurement and managed a nuclear fuel contract portfolio valued at over $5 billion. His fuel supply responsibilities included the development of risk management metrics and strategic decisions related to fuel, inventory levels, and pricing mechanisms. In addition, he developed nuclear core design and safety analysis skills. He played a key role in the technical aspects of utilizing fuel in the reactors and was a major industry advocate for accident tolerant fuel designs, including coated fuel rods, high burnup, and high enrichment.
Petersen’s long history with spent fuel and special nuclear material includes his involvement with executing the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Standard Contract and, subsequently, EGC’s litigation and eventual settlement with the DOE. He also had governance and oversight over the installation of EGC-constructed independent spent fuel storage facilities. Petersen earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin and began his career Commonwealth Edison upon graduation in 1988.
Read Nuclear News from June 2023 for more on Ken Petersen.
