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Data centers powering artificial intelligence could use more electricity than entire cities
CNBC ^ | 11/24/2024 | Spencer Kimball

Posted on 11/24/2024 2:29:16 PM PST by DFG

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To: DFG
All so lazy people can get fast answers to stupid questions. The processes of learning and problem solving are what make you smart, wise, and competent in life. Asking a device to think for you merely moves us closer to "Idiocracy ".

We will be ruled by Brawndo and QR Codes.

41 posted on 11/24/2024 3:51:24 PM PST by blackdog ((Z28.310) Be careful what you say. Your refrigerator may be listening & reporting you.)
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To: DFG

They need to be forced to build their own power generation.


42 posted on 11/24/2024 3:53:48 PM PST by CarmichaelPatriot (Recovering Kalifornian... Loving Alabama!)
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To: meatloaf; Pontiac

Thank you both!

So, it sounds like the plants were built with excess storage capacity or perhaps storage was extended.

I think that when plants were originally built, it was not clear how long they could remain operational. I am not sure that the incentives for extending their use are wise, however. It must be hard to resist the gain of continued operation over money already spent.

I don’t think Gates will bring any wisdom to the table.


43 posted on 11/24/2024 3:54:21 PM PST by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: meatloaf

The design is finalized and licensed.

Getting the site licensed and all the rest of the requirements will take time.

Then comes the litigation by the ‘Interveners’

Twenty years later the plant goes on-line, if you’re lucky.


44 posted on 11/24/2024 3:57:54 PM PST by Pontiac (esse welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: DFG

Like many things in the Left’s agendas, reality bites.

The “trans” portion of their “woke” agenda has run up against the female reality that females are the real victims of so much of that agenda, in male-female specific facilities, in sports, and from both of those into the broad social conflicts it creates.

The Left’s “green” agenda, so beloved by the techo-nerd corporate and and social behemoths is now running up against the reality that those techno-nerd behemoths will not be able to operate on a “renewable energy” paradigm. That is now starting to separate the techno-nerd billionaires and corporate giants from the Left’s “green” agendas, and seeing them find sound science critics of that agenda.

What is needed now is more of those billionaires to start creating sound higher academic institutions not run by the Left and its agendas.


45 posted on 11/24/2024 4:01:19 PM PST by Wuli
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To: EMI_Guy
The growth of AI has even Elon Musk concerned that it may get beyond our ability to control.

Speaking of Elon, he did some kind of demo a couple months ago that featured robots doing human tasks. It quickly dropped off the radar because I think it scared a lot of people.

Also, Trump has some kind of AI dogs patrolling Mar-A-Lago.

The AI future is here.


46 posted on 11/24/2024 4:03:53 PM PST by SamAdams76
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To: Pontiac
For clarification, Microsoft probably just entered into a purchase power agreement for the plant output. The owning utility will operate it, so no worries there.

. There are other Nuclear plants being brought back…Palisades in west Michigan is being restarted, and other plants too.

Also , some AI data center owners are planning on utilizing Small Modular Reactors(SMRs) at the sites to provide power directly. I think these would be in the area of 20 to 100 MWs, but not sure. Nuclear power is going to make a big comeback

The greenies (or at least some of them) prefer nuclear power over gas and coal, and that’s providing this new found massive load increase.

47 posted on 11/24/2024 4:06:48 PM PST by power2 (JMJ)
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To: Empire_of_Liberty

The plants were designed with capacity to store 10 years of spent nuclear fuel.

The Feds reneged on the deal to take possession of the spent fuel so the plants bought storage systems to store the spent fuel in what is called Dry Fuel Storage cask.

After 10 years the fuel is cool enough to store outside of a cooled pool of water.

There are a number of different designs of these cask but generally they all are stainless steel cans filled with an inert gas that keeps the fuel dry and cool. The can is inserted in to a reenforced concrete cask to protect the can.


48 posted on 11/24/2024 4:06:57 PM PST by Pontiac (esse welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: Pontiac

Solar and wind power after being processed through grid-compatible inverters and power conditioning is indistinguishable from electricity obtained from turbine plants and other sources.


49 posted on 11/24/2024 4:07:35 PM PST by steve86 (Numquam accusatus, numquam ad curiam ibit, numquam ad carcerem™)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
Maybe just like in Monster's INC.
We could use children's screams for an energy source.
50 posted on 11/24/2024 4:14:26 PM PST by midwest_hiker
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To: power2

You are correct

“Microsoft has made the restart of Unit 1 possible through an agreement to purchase the full electricity output from the plant for 20 years, a sign of the growing role the tech sector is playing in shaping the future of the U.S. power industry”

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/money-report/three-mile-island-restart-could-mark-a-turning-point-for-nuclear-energy-as-big-tech-influence-on-power-industry-grows/3562490/

That’s a lot of power

Of course Microsoft can always sell any excess power on the spot market.

Nukes like to run at 100% power. Load following is not good for Nukes.


51 posted on 11/24/2024 4:21:31 PM PST by Pontiac (esse welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: steve86

Who are you?

Steve86 last logged in on February 12, 2015!

Begone imposter!


52 posted on 11/24/2024 4:25:33 PM PST by Pontiac (esse welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: DFG
"Siri, How do we maintain adequate power grid infrastructures?" -Bob.

"Well, Bob, stop asking me stupid questions! Data transfers waste bits and electricity. "

-Siri

53 posted on 11/24/2024 4:28:40 PM PST by blackdog ((Z28.310) Be careful what you say. Your refrigerator may be listening & reporting you.)
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To: Pontiac
100% agree on the nukes running at full power.

sounds like you are in the industry. I worked at a nuclear plant in the 80s, and as an electric system operator for many years. Interesting times.

54 posted on 11/24/2024 4:33:35 PM PST by power2 (JMJ)
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To: DFG

Thats what the small reactors are for


55 posted on 11/24/2024 4:35:21 PM PST by calljack (Sometimes your worst nightmare is just a start.)
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To: Pontiac

I thought Nevada rejected it?


56 posted on 11/24/2024 4:40:46 PM PST by scrabblehack
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To: power2

I have 37 years at the same plant.

I am happy for you that you got out in the 80s

Nukes got stupid after that.


57 posted on 11/24/2024 4:42:10 PM PST by Pontiac (esse welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: scrabblehack

Nevada didn’t have a choice.

Nevada’s powerful Senator Harry Reid blocked it’s funding in the Senate.


58 posted on 11/24/2024 4:45:27 PM PST by Pontiac (esse welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: scrabblehack

Harry Reid was happy to spend the money in Nevada until the burial site was approaching thee point of accepting waste for burial and suddenly the site was unsuitable.


59 posted on 11/24/2024 4:47:32 PM PST by Pontiac (esse welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: DFG
My two cents:

The efficiency of getting a better answer to one's question will more than pay for the additional electricity.

And as the algorithms improve for sorting all the web's information in "tries" or "trees" in the dormant time between questions will allow more efficient future answering.

It's always cheaper to plan more and execute with more and better information.

As a great chemistry prof once told our class long ago: "Six weeks in the lab will save you two hours in the library every time."

60 posted on 11/24/2024 4:57:19 PM PST by caddie
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