Germany's shut nuclear plants could become data centers

Germany's shut-down nuclear plants could get a second life as data centers. PreussenElektra, a German energy company, says it is working with Nvidia, the chip maker, to check whether the idea is workable. Nothing has been decided. For now, it is an assessment.

What is being looked at

A data center is a large building full of computers that runs apps, websites and AI tools. Operators of the idle plants want new uses for their sites. Those sites already have power connections, which is a big part of why the idea is getting attention.

Why it matters

AI needs huge amounts of power. That makes the location of data centers more than a real estate question. Where they get built can shape electricity costs in a region. It can also influence which cloud services, meaning computing you rent over the internet, businesses and households end up relying on.

What is not known yet

The material does not say which plants are under review, how many data centers could be built, what it would cost or when anything could happen. It also does not say whether regulators or local communities have weighed in. The work with Nvidia is described only as an effort to assess whether the plan can work.

What to watch

• Whether specific plant sites are named
• Whether a firm plan and timeline follow the assessment
• How the project is powered and what that means for local electricity prices