Environment

Tech companies want nuclear power. Some utilities are throwing up roadblocks

Published

11 months ago

August 10, 2024

admin

A cooling tower at the Constellation Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station in Scriba, New York, US, on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

Lauren Petracca | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Tech companies are increasingly looking to directly connect data centers to nuclear plants as they race to secure clean energy to power artificial intelligence, sparking resistance from some utilities over the potential impact on the electric grid.

Data centers, the computer warehouses that run the Internet, in some cases now require a gigawatt or more of power, comparable to the average capacity of a nuclear reactor in the U.S.

The data centers are essential to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security as the country competes with adversaries such as China for supremacy in the race to develop AI, said Joe Dominguez, the CEO of Constellation Energy, which operates the largest nuclear fleet in the U.S.

“When you’re talking about large [demand] load that also wants to use zero-emission energy, you’re going to bring it very close to nuclear power plants,” Dominguez said on Constellation’s second-quarter earnings call Tuesday. Constellation, headquartered in Baltimore, operates 21 of the 93 reactors in the U.S.

Constellation’s shares have surged 62% this year, the sixth-best stock in the S&P 500, as investors attach a higher value to the company’s nuclear power capacity to meet the growth in data centers. Shares of Vistra Corp., based outside Dallas and owner of six reactors, have doubled this year, the second-best performing stock in the S&P after AI chipmaker Nvidia.

Tech companies are building out data centers just as power supply is increasingly constrained due to the retirement of coal plants and as demand is climbing from the expansion of domestic manufacturing and the electrification of vehicles.

The largest grid operator in the U.S., PJM Interconnection, warned in late July that power supply and demand is tightening as construction of new generation lags demand. PJM covers 13 states primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region, including the world’s largest data center hub in northern Virginia.

Constellation’s Dominguez argued that connecting data centers directly to nuclear plants, called co-location by the industry, is the fastest and most cost-effective way to support the buildout of data centers, without burdening consumers with the costs of building new transmission lines.

“The notion that you could accumulate enough power somewhere on the grid to power a gigawatt data center is frankly laughable to me — that you could do that in anywhere that doesn’t start with decades of time,” Dominguez said. “This is an enormous amount of power to go out and try to concentrate.”

Amazon’s nuclear agreement

But co-locating data centers next to nuclear plants already faces controversy.

In March, Amazon Web Services bought a data center powered by the 41-year-old Susquehanna nuclear plant in Pennsylvania from Talen Energy for $650 million . But the agreement to directly sell power to the AWS data center from the nuclear plant already faces opposition from utilities American Electric Power and Exelon, who have filed complaints at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

AEP and Exelon argue that the deal between Amazon and Talen sets a precedent that will result in less available power in the PJM grid area as resources “flee to serve load that uses and benefits from — but does not pay for — the transmission system”

“This will harm existing customers,” the utilities told FERC in a filing in June. Talen Energy has dismissed the objections as “demonstrably false,” accusing the utilities of stifling innovation.

“The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence and data centers has fundamentally changed the demand for power and leads to an inflection point for the power industry,” Talen said in a June statement. “Talen’s co-location arrangement with AWS brings one solution to this new demand, on a timeline that serves the customer quickly.”

FERC has requested more information on the service agreement between Talen and AWS. The regulator is holding a conference in the fall to discuss issues associated with connecting large electricity loads directly to power plants.

“It really is a great opportunity for there to be interaction between stakeholders and the commissioners in an informal setting like a conference, as opposed to doing so in litigation,” Kathleen Barrón, chief strategy officer at Constellation, said on the power company’s recent earnings call, referring to the fall FERC meeting.

Shopping for nuclear power

Constellation and Vistra have backed the AWS-Talen agreement in filings to FERC, with each of their CEOs saying on their earnings calls this week that co-location and traditional grid connection will be needed to meet demand.

Barrón told CNBC that Constellation has “seen interest from many” tech companies in potentially co-locating a data center at one of its sites.

Vistra is having numerous conversations with customers about co-location and is “in due diligence for a number of sites,” CEO Jim Burke said Thursday. With the dispute in the PJM region over co-location, data center developers may take a closer look at Texas, which operates its own grid called ERCOT, Burke said.

“We’re seeing some interest in Comanche Peak,” Burke told analysts on the company’s second-quarter earnings call, referring to one of Vistra’s nuclear plants. Comanche Peak, about 50 miles outside Fort Worth, Texas, has two reactors with 2.4 gigawatts of capacity, enough to power 1.2 million homes in typical conditions and 480,000 homes in peak periods, according to Vistra.

And Dominion Energy has indicated it is open to connecting a data center to the Millstone nuclear plant in Connecticut. The Dominion service region includes northern Virginia, the epicenter of the data center boom.

“We continue to explore that option,” CEO Robert Blue said on Dominion’s second-quarter earnings call. “We do clearly realize any co-location option is going to have to make sense for us, our potential counterparty and stakeholders in Connecticut.”

Kelly Trice, president of Holtec International, a privately held nuclear company headquartered in Florida, said the U.S. needs to start thinking more about balancing the power needs of data centers with those of all consumers. Holtec is working to restart the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan and has also had conversations with tech companies about nuclear energy.

“Essentially, the hyperscalers and the data centers can take all the power and the consumer not get any of that if we’re not careful,” Trice told CNBC. “So the balance there, where the consumers actually get what is rightfully theirs too, is a factor.”

“The United States hasn’t really started wrestling [with] that yet,” Trice said. “But I think we’re getting close.”

Environment

This hilarious-looking electric motorcycle just launched after a seven year tease

Published

3 hours ago

July 14, 2025

admin

This hilarious-looking electric motorcycle just launched after a seven year tease

Back in 2018, when most electric motorcycle startups were showing off what looked like clunky science experiments or budget-minded e-scooters, a little company out of Stuttgart quietly unveiled one of the wildest-looking two-wheelers I’d ever seen. As one of the first motorcycle journalists to cover Sol Motors and their outlandish debut seven years ago, I’ve been keeping tabs on them ever since. And now I am excited to share that the Sol Pocket Rocket is finally preparing to launch in full production form. Yes, really.

The German company is now taking pre-orders for its uniquely tubular electric motorcycle that somehow looks like a mashup between a torpedo, an irrigation pipe, and a Star Wars prop. And yet, despite its cartoonish silhouette, it might just be one of the coolest ultra-urban e-motos headed for the streets.

The Sol Pocket Rocket comes in two versions: the standard model and the more powerful Pocket Rocket S. The latter packs an 8.5 kW (roughly 11.4 hp) electric motor that propels the bike to a top speed of 85 km/h (53 mph), while the standard version tops out at 45 km/h (28 mph), putting it in moped territory in many markets.

That makes it a perfect fit for cities, especially in Europe where light electric mopeds and motorcycles are gaining traction among young riders who want something fast, fun, and emissions-free, but without the size, weight, or cost of a traditional motorcycle. The bike’s 2.5 kWh battery may not sound like much, but the company says it offers up to 108 km (67 miles) of range for the lower speed version or 68 km (42 miles) of range for the higher speed version, which is generally more than enough for most urban commutes. The battery is also removable, allowing for convenient charging inside your apartment or office. That can be a neat trick for riders who charge at work, essentially doubling the maximum range they can commute.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

And while we’re on the topic of design – yes, it’s unusual. The Pocket Rocket’s oversized aluminum top tube houses the battery and electronics, while a minimalist seat juts out from the back like a café racer’s rear hump. There’s no bodywork to speak of, giving it a raw and industrial aesthetic that’s either futuristic or ridiculous, depending on the lighting and your mood. But I’ve got to admit, I kind of love it.

The frame, wheels, and swingarm are all nicely machined, giving the whole thing a premium feel, or at least as premium as a potato gun on wheels can look. It’s like if Bauhaus made a Hot Wheels bike that could run on electrons.

Sol Motors is positioning the Pocket Rocket not just as a stylish e-motorcycle, but as a viable alternative to cars for city dwellers who want to skip traffic and parking headaches. It’s light, fast enough for urban streets, and small enough to squeeze into even the tiniest bike parking spot.

Pre-orders are now open and pricing starts at €5,990 for the standard model and €6,980 for the S version. That’s certainly not cheap, but not outrageous in today’s market for well-designed, European-made electric two-wheelers.

They even have this cool charging stand for topping up the battery in your apartment

Environment

The 2026 Chevy Blazer EV lineup looks a bit different, but prices still start at under $45K

Published

3 hours ago

July 14, 2025

admin

The 2026 Chevy Blazer EV lineup looks a bit different, but prices still start at under K

Chevy is introducing an updated lineup for the 2026 Blazer EV, including a few slight modifications. Despite the changes, prices will still start at under $45,000.

2026 Chevy Blazer EV prices by trim

GM’s Chevrolet is currently the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. Through May, Chevy sold over 37,000 EVs, surpassing Ford, which sold about 34,000.

Although the Equinox EV stole the spotlight, becoming the third top-selling EV behind Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3, Chevy’s electric Blazer has quiety been driving growth. In April, the Chevy Blazer EV was the sixth-best-selling EV.

With “the Equinnox and Blazer right in the heart of the market, they are really benefitting from that,” Tom Libby, an analyst at S&P Global Mobility, explained.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

With the 2026 model years arriving with a few updates, Chevy looks to continue closing the gap with Tesla. Earlier this month, the 2026 Chevy Silverado EV configurator went live with base prices about $10,000 cheaper than the outgoing model. Now, it looks like the electric Blazer will be next.

New order guide data show the 2026 Chevy Blazer EV LT FWD will still start at $44,600, not including the destination fee. The 2026 model year will be available in FWD, AWD, and performance AWD configurations. However, Chevy is dropping the RWD option.

Although the base LT model is priced the same, the 2026 Chevy Blazer RS AWD is $500 more than last year’s model, starting at $50,400.

The 615 horsepower Blazer EV SS, the quickest SS Chevy vehicle to date, will still start at $60,600. Like the 2025MY, GM’s Super Cruise is standard on the SS and available for other trims. It costs $3,255 this year, the same as it did in 2025.

Other upgrades for the new model include a new Polar White Tricoat paint option and a standard dual-level charging cord, but it still lacks a NACS port.

A Chevy spokesperson confirmed to Car and Driver last month that “To simplify the product lineup while still offering the most popular options for consumers, RWD will not be available beginning with the 2026 model year.”

Up next will be the 2026 Chevy Equinox EV, or “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV,” as GM calls it. The base 2025 LT model starts at $34,995. Chevy keeping entry-level Blazer prices the same could be a good sign for the Equinox.

2026 Chevy Blazer EV trim	Starting MSRP*	Range (*2025MY EPA-estimated)
LT FWD	$44,600	312 miles
RS FWD	$50,400	312 miles
SS AWD	$60,600	303 miles

2026 Chevy Blazer EV prices by trim (*Does not include destination fee)

With the federal EV tax credit set to expire at the end of September, Chevy is offering some serious savings opportunities. Starting at just $289 per month, the 2025 Equinox EV is hard to pass up. GM is also offering 0% APR across all 2025 Equinox EV, Blazer EV, and Silverado EV models.

Ready to test one out for yourself? You can use our links below to find deals on Chevy EV models at a dealer near you.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Tesla’s penis-shaped Robotaxi expansion illustrates how unserious the business is

Published

4 hours ago

July 14, 2025

admin

Tesla's penis-shaped Robotaxi expansion illustrates how unserious the business is

Tesla has expanded the service area of its Robotaxi service in Austin, and it did so to draw a penis-shaped service map, seemingly for no other reason than to satisfy the juvenile humor of its CEO, but what it really achieved is to illustrate how unserious Tesla’s Robotaxi business is compared to other efforts.

Last month, Tesla launched its Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, and as expected, the service was mostly for show and to give CEO Elon Musk a win after years of failed predictions regarding Tesla’s self-driving efforts.

The service was launched only for a small group of Tesla stock promoters on X, and it required a Tesla employee sitting in the front seat with a finger on a kill switch at all times.

In other words, it’s basically Tesla’s Supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) in consumer vehicles, but with the supervisor moved from the driver’s seat to the front passenger seat.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Tesla also launched into a small area of South Austin, but last week, Musk said that the company would expand the service area by the weekend.

Late on Sunday, Tesla did update the service area, and it now looks like this:

There’s no practical reason to cover this specific section of Austin. The update appears to be solely to satisfy Musk’s famously juvenile sense of humor, which includes fascinations with the numbers “69” and “420”.

Tesla has also been offering rides in Robotaxi (invite-only) for $4.20 a ride.

In practice, what this joke does is illustrate just how unserious Tesla’s Robotaxi effort is in comparison to other autonomous ride-hailing programs.

Waymo already operates a larger area of Austin, and it does so without any supervisor inside the vehicle. It also operates in San Francisco, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Phoenix:

Tesla shareholders are holding on to the hope that Tesla will be able to scale faster, but Waymo has even launched in Atlanta since Tesla launched its limited service in Austin, and they are preparing to launch in Philadelphia and New York.

Meanwhile, Tesla still operates with supervisors inside its vehicles – a step that Waymo completed years ago.

Electrek’s Take

Look, I love a joke as much as the next guy, but when the whole service is a joke, maybe don’t draw a penis with the service map.

In China, I rode in Baidu’s Apollo Go, and it simply works without anyone in the car, and it is in operation in half a dozen cities.

It’s cool to see Tesla making progress here, but what’s less cool is the moving of the goalpost that leads to people forgetting that Tesla has promised unsupervised self-driving in all vehicles built since 2016.

Meanwhile, its progress has yet to outpace competition and CEO Elon Musk is out there claiming Tesla is the leader in self-driving with no close second.

It’s a level of delusion that you don’t want to see in someone deploying “self-driving” 5,000-lb machines moving at high speeds on public roads.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.