Latest news with #ManhattanProject2
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Argonne and partners celebrate Aurora supercomputer's impact on science with AI and exascale power
LEMONT, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its new Aurora exascale computer, marking a major milestone for AI-powered science. The event brought together DOE leaders, researchers, and partners from Intel and HPE to recognize Aurora's potential to transform scientific discovery. 'Aurora is a powerful example of what American science and innovation can deliver,' said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. 'As global competition accelerates, systems like Aurora give the United States a decisive edge in artificial intelligence, scientific discovery, and national security — fields where we can't afford to fall behind. We're at the start of a new Manhattan Project. If we don't unleash American energy, innovation, and American science, we will lose Manhattan Project 2 — with President Trump's leadership, the United States will win the AI race, but it will take energy dominance and strong public-private partnerships like the one behind Aurora to win this critical race.' Deployed for science earlier this year, Aurora is one of the most powerful computing systems ever built. The machine is designed to accelerate breakthroughs in science and engineering by combining simulation, AI, and data analysis capabilities at an unprecedented scale. Aurora is one of three DOE supercomputers to surpass the exascale threshold, capable of performing more than a quintillion calculations per second and is one of the world's fastest supercomputers for AI performance. Developed in collaboration with Intel and HPE, Aurora is equipped with 63,744 graphics processing units (GPUs), making it one of the largest GPU-powered supercomputers in the world. Spanning eight rows of refrigerator-sized cabinets and covering 10,000 square feet, Aurora features advanced water-cooling infrastructure and over 300 miles of networking cables. Aurora is already enabling breakthroughs across a wide range of scientific fields. In biology and medicine, researchers are using AI and simulation to predict virus evolution, improve cancer treatments, and map neural connections in the brain. In aerospace engineering, Aurora is helping scientists better understand airflow around aircraft, reducing the need for physical testing and accelerating the design of quieter, more efficient planes. Aurora is advancing fusion energy research by simulating extreme reactor conditions and using AI to predict particle behavior. In quantum computing, Aurora supports large-scale simulations to validate quantum experiments and test algorithms for molecular design. By delivering faster, more accurate insights across research fields, Aurora is powering a new era of science driven by AI, simulation, and collaboration, with far-reaching impacts on technology and everyday life.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump plots ‘Manhattan Project 2' in nuclear power push
Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order that would create a new nuclear 'Manhattan Project' designed to help the US win the global race for artificial intelligence. The order is expected to fast track the development of nuclear power stations in the United States, which would then supply the huge data centres required for AI. The Trump administration is seeking ways to counter the 'huge resources' being deployed by China to develop the nascent technology. Chris Wright, the US energy secretary, warned earlier this year that the clamour to build the power sources required to meet the growing need from AI had become 'Manhattan Project 2', in reference to the country's programme to develop atomic bombs during the Second World War. He said: 'It is critical, just like Manhattan Project 1, that the United States wins this race. 'China has huge resources. They are massively focused on artificial intelligence. 'If we don't unleash American innovation and American entrepreneurs and American construction and bold moves, we will lose Manhattan Project 2.' The executive order aims to ease the process to approve new nuclear reactors and will also bolster supply chains. In a sign of his focus on America's power needs, Mr Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day back in the White House in January. The US was the first country to develop nuclear power and has 94 nuclear reactors, supplying 97 gigawatts of energy, which gives it the largest nuclear capacity in the world. Technology companies including Microsoft and Google have embraced nuclear power as a way to meet their expanding energy needs as the US government seeks to catch up with the boom in demand. In September last year, Microsoft agreed a 20-year deal to purchase power from the Three Mile Island energy plant in Pennsylvania. The tech giant said the agreement would provide a carbon-free source of energy to power its data centres which are used in AI. Constellation Energy, the owner of the plant, is expected to reopen it in 2028 following improvements. Google has also signed a contract with energy company Kairos Power to use its small nuclear reactors to power its AI data centres. It aims to be powered by Kairos's first reactor before the end of the decade, with the company set to open more by 2035. Trump is also expected to use the Defense Production Act, which dates back to the Cold War-era, to declare a national emergency over the US's dependence on Russia and China for enriched uranium, which is crucial for nuclear power generation. McKinsey predicted that power demand from US data centres will rise from 178 terawatt hours per year to 606 terawatt hours by the end of this decade. South Korea produced about 595.6 terawatt hours of electricity in 2024. Data centres will go from consuming 4.3pc of all power in the US to 11.7pc, the consultancy predicted. Demand from data centres alone is forecast to be equivalent to the entire annual output of more than 70 nuclear power plants by 2030. A draft summary of the executive order is also said to direct government agencies to permit new nuclear facilities. The departments of energy and defence will also be required to identify federal lands and facilities that can be used for nuclear deployment. In the US nuclear power has bipartisan support, with Democrats in favour of building new reactors because it is virtually free from carbon emissions. By contrast Republicans are supportive of new nuclear plants as they provide a reliable source of electricity compared to intermittent energy from wind and solar power, which rely on batteries to provide a consistent supply of power. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Trump plots ‘Manhattan Project 2' in nuclear power push
Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order that would create a new nuclear 'Manhattan Project' designed to help the US win the global race for artificial intelligence. The order is expected to fast track the development of nuclear power stations in the United States, which would then supply the huge data centres required for AI. The Trump administration is seeking ways to counter the 'huge resources' being deployed by China to develop the nascent technology. Chris Wright, the US energy secretary, warned earlier this year that the clamour to build the power sources required to meet the growing need from AI had become 'Manhattan Project 2', in reference to the country's programme to develop atomic bombs during the Second World War. He said: 'It is critical, just like Manhattan Project 1, that the United States wins this race. 'China has huge resources. They are massively focused on artificial intelligence. 'If we don't unleash American innovation and American entrepreneurs and American construction and bold moves, we will lose Manhattan Project 2.' The executive order aims to ease the process to approve new nuclear reactors and will also bolster supply chains. In a sign of his focus on America's power needs, Mr Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day back in the White House in January. The US was the first country to develop nuclear power and has 94 nuclear reactors, supplying 97 gigawatts of energy, which gives it the largest nuclear capacity in the world. Technology companies including Microsoft and Google have embraced nuclear power as a way to meet their expanding energy needs as the US government seeks to catch up with the boom in demand. In September last year, Microsoft agreed a 20-year deal to purchase power from the Three Mile Island energy plant in Pennsylvania. The tech giant said the agreement would provide a carbon-free source of energy to power its data centres which are used in AI. Constellation Energy, the owner of the plant, is expected to reopen it in 2028 following improvements. Google has also signed a contract with energy company Kairos Power to use its small nuclear reactors to power its AI data centres. It aims to be powered by Kairos's first reactor before the end of the decade, with the company set to open more by 2035. Trump is also expected to use the Defense Production Act, which dates back to the Cold War-era, to declare a national emergency over the US's dependence on Russia and China for enriched uranium, which is crucial for nuclear power generation. McKinsey predicted that power demand from US data centres will rise from 178 terawatt hours per year to 606 terawatt hours by the end of this decade. South Korea produced about 595.6 terawatt hours of electricity in 2024. Data centres will go from consuming 4.3pc of all power in the US to 11.7pc, the consultancy predicted. Demand from data centres alone is forecast to be equivalent to the entire annual output of more than 70 nuclear power plants by 2030. A draft summary of the executive order is also said to direct government agencies to permit new nuclear facilities. The departments of energy and defence will also be required to identify federal lands and facilities that can be used for nuclear deployment. In the US nuclear power has bipartisan support, with Democrats in favour of building new reactors because it is virtually free from carbon emissions. By contrast Republicans are supportive of new nuclear plants as they provide a reliable source of electricity compared to intermittent energy from wind and solar power, which rely on batteries to provide a consistent supply of power.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump to sign orders to boost nuclear power as soon as Friday, sources say
By Timothy Gardner, Jarrett Renshaw and Gram Slattery WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump will sign executive orders as soon as Friday that aim to jumpstart the nuclear energy industry by easing the regulatory process on approvals for new reactors and strengthening fuel supply chains, four sources familiar said. Facing the first rise in power demand in two decades from the boom in artificial intelligence, Trump declared an energy emergency on his first day in office. Chris Wright, the energy secretary, has said the race to develop power sources and data centers needed for AI is "Manhattan Project 2", referring to the massive U.S. program during World War II to develop atomic bombs. A draft summary of the orders said Trump will invoke the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to declare a national emergency over U.S. dependence on Russia and China for enriched uranium, nuclear fuel processing and advanced reactor inputs. The summary also directs agencies to permit and site new nuclear facilities and directs the Departments of Energy and Defense to identify federal lands and facilities for nuclear deployment and to streamline processes to get them built. It also encourages the Energy Department to use loan guarantees and direct loans to increase the build out of reactors. Trump only used the Loan Programs Office in his first administration to support a large nuclear plant in Georgia. The LPO has now has hundreds of billions of dollars in financing thanks to legislation passed during former President Joe Biden's administration, but has been hit hard by job cuts during Trump's second administration. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The exact text and wording of draft executive orders is subject to frequent changes and there is no guarantee elements of the EOs will not be excised or modified during the final stages of the review process. The United States was the first developer of nuclear power and has the most nuclear power capacity in the world, but the energy source is now growing the fastest in China. One of the sources said officials from the industry including the Nuclear Energy Institute and Constellation, a utility with the biggest U.S. reactor capacity, were invited to attend a signing ceremony Friday afternoon. Constellation and NEI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Trump administration has been debating four draft executive orders to boost nuclear power that sought ways to give the administration more power to approve reactors and reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the body of five panelists that approves reactors. Nuclear is popular with Democrats for being virtually free in carbon emissions and with Republicans for providing reliable electricity compared to wind and solar power which can be intermittent, a problem that can be managed with battery storage. Nuclear power produces radioactive waste which for which there is no permanent repository in the United States.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Trump Nuclear Power Update as New Order May Bring Back Cold War-Era Act
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Cold War-era statute could soon return to the forefront of American energy policy, as President Donald Trump prepares to sign a series of executive orders—possibly as soon as Friday—designed to jumpstart the domestic nuclear energy industry. Four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the forthcoming orders aim to simplify the regulatory process for approving new nuclear reactors and to strengthen nuclear fuel supply chains amid mounting concerns over U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers. Facing the first significant increase in U.S. power demand in two decades—driven largely by the explosion of artificial intelligence technologies and the data centers powering them—Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day back in office. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has likened the effort to a "Manhattan Project 2," invoking the scale and urgency of the U.S. government's World War II-era nuclear weapons program. Cooling tower one and two are seen at the nuclear reactor facility at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Friday, May 31, 2024, in Waynesboro, Ga. Inset: President Donald Trump attends a Make America... Cooling tower one and two are seen at the nuclear reactor facility at the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Friday, May 31, 2024, in Waynesboro, Ga. Inset: President Donald Trump attends a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Event in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington. More Associated Press A draft summary of the executive orders reviewed by Reuters indicates Trump will invoke the Defense Production Act, originally enacted during the Cold War, to declare a national emergency over reliance on Russia and China for enriched uranium, nuclear fuel processing, and components for advanced reactors. The orders also direct key federal agencies to identify lands and facilities suitable for nuclear energy development, while streamlining the permitting and construction process. In addition, the Energy and Defense Departments are instructed to accelerate deployment strategies, while the Energy Department is encouraged to use loan guarantees and direct financing to support reactor construction. Although Trump's first administration utilized the Loan Programs Office (LPO) for a major nuclear project in Georgia, the office now oversees hundreds of billions of dollars in funding—thanks to legislation passed during former President Joe Biden's tenure. However, the LPO has since suffered major staff reductions under Trump's second term. The exact language of the nuclear power executive order is still under review and subject to change. Representatives from leading energy stakeholders—including the Nuclear Energy Institute and Constellation, the utility with the largest U.S. nuclear fleet—have reportedly been invited to a signing ceremony scheduled for Friday afternoon. Neither organization responded to Reuters for requests for comment. Despite the United States' legacy as the first nation to develop nuclear power and its continued lead in installed capacity, the industry's fastest growth is currently occurring in China. Nuclear energy remains politically unique, appealing to Democrats for its low carbon emissions and to Republicans for its reliability compared to intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar. However, the long-standing issue of radioactive waste disposal remains unresolved, with no permanent U.S. repository currently in place.
