Meta’s Historic Bet: Ohio nuclear to power American AI leadership

Meta is making one of its biggest energy bets yet on Ohio, turning to the state’s nuclear sector to fuel the next generation of AI. The social media giant unveiled a multi-gigawatt strategy to lock in carbon-free power for its Prometheus supercluster in New Albany and cement Ohio’s role in the infrastructure behind America’s computing ambitions.

Bolstering the state’s nuclear corridor along Lake Erie, Meta signed a 20-year agreement with Vistra Corp. to purchase power from the Perry and Davis-Besse plants in Ohio, as well as the Beaver Valley plant in western Pennsylvania. Together, the agreements cover more than 2.1 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear capacity and will fund upgrades expected to add 433 megawatts (MW) of new generation to the PJM grid by the early 2030s.

Looking south, Meta also struck a deal with Oklo Inc. to turn part of the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Pike County into an advanced nuclear campus. Oklo’s next-generation “Aurora” fast reactors, designed to run on recycled nuclear fuel, could ultimately deliver up to 1.2 GW of clean baseload power, with initial units targeted to come online as early as 2030.

Why it matters

AI models and data centers are devouring electricity, and the biggest players are scrambling for power that is not only carbon-free but available around the clock. Meta’s move signals that, for the AI era, nuclear is shifting from legacy asset to cornerstone technology in the race to build ever-larger computing clusters.

Ohio sits at a strategic crossroads of that shift. With operating reactors, a deep industrial site in Pike County, and strong ties into the PJM transmission network, the state offers a rare package of existing nuclear assets and room to grow—positioning it as a key supplier of firm, clean power to the country’s AI backbone.

Revitalizing Ohio’s nuclear north (Vistra)

Meta’s agreement with Vistra centers on three reactors: Perry and Davis-Besse in Ohio and Beaver Valley across the border in Pennsylvania. The long-term power purchase commitments are tied to both continued operation and planned uprates at the plants, effectively backing more than 2.1 GW of capacity that will flow into the PJM market.

Vistra and Meta say the uprates will add about 433 MW of additional nuclear output by the early 2030s, helping extend the life and economic viability of the reactors while supplying more carbon-free power for data centers in the region. Industry observers note that few corporate buyers have ever underwritten nuclear uprates at this scale, underscoring how data center demand is reshaping utility planning.

Building a new nuclear hub in Pike County (Oklo)

In southern Ohio, Meta’s deal with Oklo takes a different tack: building an entirely new nuclear campus on a Cold War-era uranium enrichment site. Oklo plans to deploy a series of smaller Aurora fast reactors, using advanced fuel and modular designs aimed at delivering flexible, high-availability power with a smaller physical footprint than traditional large reactors.

At full buildout, the Pike County campus is slated to provide up to 1.2 GW of baseload nuclear capacity into PJM, with the first reactors targeted for around 2030 and additional units following later in the decade. Officials expect the project to generate thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of long-term positions, offering a new economic engine for a community long associated with the nation’s atomic past.

By the numbers

• 6.6 GW: Total nuclear and clean energy capacity Meta says its new U.S. partnerships with Vistra, Oklo, and TerraPower could unlock by 2035.
• 2.1+ GW: Nuclear capacity covered under Meta’s 20-year agreements with Vistra at Perry, Davis-Besse, and Beaver Valley.
• 1.2 GW: Baseline capacity Oklo aims to develop at its Pike County advanced nuclear campus.
• 433 MW: Additional output expected from uprates at the existing Vistra plants backed by Meta’s commitments.
• Thousands: Construction jobs projected across the Ohio projects, with hundreds of permanent roles once the facilities are operating.

Financial terms for the individual agreements were not disclosed, but Meta and its partners are emphasizing the deals as long-term commitments that stretch into the 2030s and beyond.

What they’re saying

State-of-the-art data centers and AI infrastructure are essential to securing America’s position as a global leader in AI," said Joel Kaplan, Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer in the announcement." Nuclear energy will help power our AI future, strengthen our country’s energy infrastructure, and provide clean, reliable electricity for everyone."

Meta is casting the package as a cornerstone of its clean energy strategy, arguing that firm nuclear power is necessary to complement the company’s wind and solar purchases and keep facilities like the Prometheus supercluster running reliably. The company also says the deals will make it one of the largest corporate purchasers of nuclear power anywhere in the world.

The bottom line

This is a lifeline for Ohio’s legacy energy assets and a massive investment in American energy and AI innovation. For Meta, it’s a clear signal that the road to American AI leadership runs through the cooling towers of the Midwest.