Google CEO Sundar Pichai has publicly warned that artificial intelligence's "immense" power consumption demands urgent expansion of energy capacity worldwide, or economies risk being constrained by energy supply shortages. His remarks underscore a critical shift reshaping Europe's energy strategy: the continent is now treating nuclear power as essential infrastructure to support the AI boom, rather than a marginal or politically toxic technology.

Pichai made these comments during a BBC interview, emphasizing that without adequate electricity infrastructure, nations could find themselves unable to fully capitalize on AI's economic potential. This warning has become a defining force in nuclear energy's unexpected resurgence across Europe, where data center investment and AI infrastructure buildout are pushing electricity demand to unprecedented levels.

How Are Tech Companies and Governments Responding to AI's Energy Crisis?

• Nuclear Partnerships: Tech companies are jointly striking energy partnerships representing roughly 30 gigawatts of small modular reactor (SMR) capacity. Google itself signed an agreement with Kairos Power to co-develop 500 megawatts of SMR capacity, ensuring its data center network can expand without compromising climate commitments.
• Policy Reversals: The Netherlands and Belgium have cancelled planned nuclear plant closures, with polling showing 71% of Belgians support extending the operation of existing nuclear reactors. Sweden is pursuing its first new nuclear capacity in 40 years, and Germany has softened its opposition to other EU countries developing nuclear power.
• Investment Surge: European nuclear mergers and acquisitions reached a seven-year high in 2025, with deal value in 2026 already reaching $3 billion by early June, double the full-year value recorded in 2025.

What's Driving the Shift From Renewable Energy Alone to Nuclear?

The rapid advance of frontier technologies has become the primary catalyst for nuclear's resurgence. Data center investment was projected to hit $580 billion in 2025, exceeding the $540 billion of global oil investment. This explosive growth in computing infrastructure requires continuous, reliable power that renewables alone cannot provide.

Nuclear power addresses a fundamental limitation of wind and solar energy: intermittency. While renewable sources remain essential pillars of Europe's energy transition, their output fluctuates with weather and daylight. Europe's grid-scale battery storage currently sits below 3 gigawatt-hours, a fraction of what a stable system requires. Nuclear's uninterrupted, 24/7 baseload provides the firm backbone that enables intermittent renewables to scale without compromising reliability or grid stability.

"AI's immense power demand requires expanding energy capacity to ensure economies are not constrained by energy supply," warned Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet

The momentum extends beyond AI and data centers. Europe's hard-to-abate industries, including steel, chemicals, electric vehicle manufacturing, and large-scale hydrogen production, stand to benefit massively from abundant low-carbon nuclear power. Nuclear enables electrolysers to run at high load factors and produce near-zero-emission hydrogen, a crucial feedstock for decarbonizing these sectors.

How Does Nuclear Power Support Europe's Climate and Energy Independence Goals?

Nuclear power has already prevented around 70 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over the past half-century, roughly equivalent to nearly two years of global energy sector outputs. The International Energy Agency (IEA) deems nuclear power vital for achieving the 2050 carbon neutrality goal, highlighting that "extending nuclear plants' lifetimes is an indispensable part of a cost-effective path to net zero".

The energy security dimension has become increasingly urgent following recent geopolitical shocks. After disruptions linked to the Iran war and instability around the Strait of Hormuz, the European Commission warned member states against closing viable nuclear plants early, urging them to preserve reactors capable of delivering reliable, low-cost, and low-emission electricity. This represents a dramatic policy shift from just years ago, when nuclear was treated as a politically toxic technology in parts of Europe.

Finland provides a concrete example of this strategy's effectiveness. Before 2022, the country imported half of its energy from Russia, including substantial oil and gas volumes. With the startup of the 1.6 gigawatt Olkiluoto 3 reactor, nuclear's share has risen from 28% in 2022 to 39% today, making nuclear power a cornerstone of its energy sovereignty strategy. Other European states, particularly landlocked countries like Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary, remain heavily reliant on Russian overland gas and Soviet-designed reactors, complicating their transition.

Slovakia is demonstrating the potential of expanded nuclear capacity. The country has begun loading fuel into Mochovce unit 4, a 471 megawatt reactor expected to lift nuclear's share of its domestic electricity mix to 77.5% and make the country a net electricity exporter.

Looking ahead, the momentum identified by the IEA will matter only if policymakers and industry turn policy signals into actual deployment. Countries with strong nuclear foundations, like France and Sweden, can anchor supply for nations with weaker grids or heavier import burdens. A properly integrated European Union grid and shared nuclear assets will bolster energy security, lower costs, and support climate ambitions across the continent.