Sam Altman’s OpenAI eyes deal for fusion-powered data centres to meet soaring energy needs
Artificial intelligence is sending energy demands of data centres soaring and tech companies racing to buy up enough clean power
ChatGPT creator OpenAI, owned by tech tycoon Sam Altman, is reportedly in talks with a nuclear fusion start-up to buy vast amounts of clean power for energy-guzzling data centres.
Altman invested $375m in Helion in 2021 and has reportedly recused himself from the talks with OpenAI given his conflict of interest.
Altman has previously said a clean energy “breakthrough” is needed to match the surging power demands of AI, singling out nuclear along with cheaper solar power and storage as his favoured solutions.
Helion made history last year by entering what was said to be the world’s first power purchase agreement for power from fusion, which aims to harness the reactions that power stars to produce unlimited, on-demand, zero-carbon energy.
Helion plans to get its first plant online by 2028. That is significantly ahead of other fusion start-ups, many of which are targeting the early 2030s to begin producing commercial power.
The magneto-inertial fusion approach Helion is taking sees plasma generated at both ends of the reactor. These plasmas are then accelerated towards a central compression chamber where fusion ignition is achieved and electricity is generated.
Other big-name Helion investors include LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz.
Helion says its “long-term goal” is to deliver power at $0.01/kWh.
Tech giants are currently racing to buy up enough power to fuel data centres whose energy demands are expected to increase by 160% by 2030. That represents an increase of around 650TWh – comfortably more than the electricity demand of South Korea.