The Great Energy Regression: AI Power Demand Nuclear Coal 2025 Trends

Is the future of intelligence being powered by the ghosts of the past? As of December 2025, the insatiable hunger of AI data centers has triggered an unlikely revival of nuclear and coal energy. Despite years of decline, these legacy power sources are seeing a second act as Washington and Silicon Valley scramble to keep the servers humming.

The Forced Renaissance of AI Power Demand Nuclear Coal 2025

Throughout 2025, the Trump administration hasn't just promoted nuclear energy; it's positioned it as the ultimate solution for AI's infrastructure needs. In May 2025, executive orders mandated the construction of 10 new large reactors by 2030. Energy Secretary Chris Wright claims that AI's progress is directly tied to "unlocking commercial nuclear power." Tech giants like Google and Microsoft have already inked massive deals to secure stable, carbon-free baseload power.

Coal's Lifeline vs. Market Realities

While nuclear is the tech industry's darling, coal is getting a political lifeline. Over two dozen units scheduled for retirement are staying online thanks to emergency orders. However, big tech companies remain wary of coal's PR nightmare. They don't want to be seen as "frying the planet" to train the next LLM. Meanwhile, utility-scale solar and wind remain cheaper than coal, even without the heavy subsidies favored by the current administration.