Elon Musk Says SpaceX Needs More Power Than New York City in a Heatwave
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has highlighted concerns over energy supply as the space company scales its AI infrastructure. Over the past three months, SpaceX spent $15.8 billion to expand this compute-heavy system and aims for around 15 gigawatts of power by next year—surpassing New York City's peak demand during a heatwave. Musk emphasized that current energy sources may not suffice in the long term, suggesting nuclear energy could be key due to its reliability. Nuclear energy is seen as ideal for AI data centers because it provides consistent baseload power unlike intermittent renewables like wind or solar. However, building new reactors takes time and significant investment. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are being explored as a faster alternative, with over 80 facilities in development globally. Two companies leading this effort—Oklo Inc. and NuScale Power—are gaining attention from investors. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has personally invested in Oklo, which is working on regulatory approvals for its designs and already signed deals with major tech firms like Meta Platforms.
Topics: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Electricity Supply Elon Musk Nuclear Energy SpaceX