___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Data
Centers
The obvious and likely solution to the short term need for increased energy demand being driven by the AI revolution will therefore be met by a combination of fossil fuel, principally natural gas and coal fueled powerplants and new nuclear energy power plants with some smaller contribution from renewables, primarily solar. A typical natural gas supplied power plant produces roughly 300 to 800 MWs of electric power, while a type of nuclear power plant produces about the same and a large coal power plant produces about 1000 MW of electric power or a gigawatt of power. So, you can see massive amounts of those three types of power sources, as well as reliable renewable sources, principally solar, will be required to meet the power demands of AI.
Since the projected number of AI related data centers over the next ten years is projected to be in the thousands, the corresponding number of power plants necessary to support the AI is likewise projected to be in the thousands. To quantify thousands of gigawatts of energy requirements the conversation now shifts to the term for thousands of gigawatts of power or terawatts( TW).
To understand the magnitude of the terawatt of power, let’ s go back to the Hoover Dam. As previously mentioned, since the Hoover Dam produces two gigawatts of power, you need five hundred Hoover Dams to produce one terawatt of power. And if the typical nuclear power plant produces, say 500 megawatts of power, you would need two thousand of those to produce a terawatt of power. As for coal plants, you would need one thousand large coal plants to produce a terawatt of power. This is where conventional technology, specifically the design and construction of both massive data centers and the design and construction of massive sources of a power generation enter the picture and become the controlling element to the growth of AI capability in the United States.
One caveat to this analysis is the always present hope that a new technology, or a breakthrough in existing technologies, will create a new, cheaper, more dependable, efficient and less risky energy alternative in the future. However, barring such a breakthrough, we will be designing, building, and operating a dramatic increase in natural gas, coal and nuclear power plants over the next decade. Further, those regions of the United States that recognize this and have the political and economic will to support and encourage this growth will become the AI centers of the country and enjoy all the economic and social benefits that will naturally follow from that commitment to provide energy to support AI.
You can see that the topography of large areas of the country is now likely to change because of the energy demands of AI. The construction of thousands of new power plants will dot the landscape across America. Also, the environmental impacts as well as the need for massive construction technology and labor, as well as engineering capability will be pushed beyond all current capabilities. Paradoxically, conventional American engineering and construction sectors, now and for the foreseeable future, will be the key drivers in creating our new AI revolution. ■
Michael De Chiara www. zdlaw. com
Michael De Chiara is a senior partner at Zetlin & De Chiara. Zetlin & De Chiara, one of the country’ s leading construction law firms, focuses its practice on all aspects of construction law and the built environment. The company provides sophisticated legal and business counsel to real estate owners, developers, financial institutions, owners’ representatives, design professionals, construction managers and contractors. Zetlin & De Chiara is committed to meeting clients’ legal and business advisory needs and exceeding their expectations for service.
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