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Omasa #5 | DECEMBER 2024

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News from the People Powering a Cleaner Future

Project update 3

MYO milestone 5

Fuel cycle 12

AUGUST 2024

News from the People Powering a Cleaner Future

Construction

update

Early Learner

Assistance

AI’s demand

for nuclear

ISSUE 05

DECEMBER 2024

he Etango Uranium Project team has just

witnessed its ﬁrst blasting on site – and

what a sight it was. The blasting is for the area

where the primary crusher will be built and

marks the excellent progress the construction

team is making.

Following completion of the ﬁrst two early

works contracts approved for Etango – the

construction water supply and site access

road – and the ﬁnancial capacity delivered

by Bannerman Energy’s recent equity raising,

we have moved to the next phase: long-lead

order and critical path contract awards.

This approach is in line with Bannerman’s

gated, “phased greenlight” approach where

segments of the construction work are

completed so that when the go-ahead for the

project is given, much of the baseline work has

been done.

It is a hive of activity on site.

Two other contracts have been awarded: the

construction power contract and the contract

to build the roads within the Etango Mining

Licence (ML) area where work is progressing

ahead of schedule. We have also given the

WE’RE HAVING A BLAST!

go-ahead to manufacture the High-Pressure

Grinding Rolls tertiary crusher, while the

contract for the blasting, crushing, and

placing of the drainage layer on the Etango

heap leach pad is being adjudicated.

Negotiations on ﬁnal supply contracts for

both permanent water and power supply are

at an advanced stage. Detailed design work

on the Etango process plant continues, as is

procurement for key mechanical equipment.

Are we on schedule? You bet we are.

Werner Ewald, MD of Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia, initiates

the blasting for the area where the primary crusher will be built.

n ECC is our legally binding commitment

to the Namibian Government that

we adhere to the Environmental Impact

Assessments (EIAs) regulations for the Etango

Uranium Project, which includes relevant public

and stakeholder consultation. Each ECC is

valid for three years after which it needs to be

renewed.

Since 2012 Bannerman Mining Resources

Namibia has conducted a number of EIAs

relating to the Etango Uranium Project. The

main EIA dealt with the activities of the Etango

Mine, while various other EIAs were carried out

for Linear Infrastructure Project, Demonstration

(Pilot) Plant, Grid Power Supply, New Water

Pipeline and Temporary Water Pipeline over the

years.

The Directorate of Environmental Affairs of the

Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism

(DEA:MEFT) reviewed and approved these EIAs

and issued the related ECCs.

According to Gavin Chamberlain, CEO of

Bannerman Energy, “through regular positive

results in our bi-annual audits we have

removed any uncertainty with regards to

ongoing renewals of ECCs”.

Alexandra Speiser (below), Director at

A. Speiser Environmental Consultants,

who has conducted the various EIAs says:

“During the three-year period of the ECCs,

bi-annual audits are carried out, assessing

the implementation and adherence of the

environmental and social commitments

and mitigation measures stated in the

Environmental Management Plans (EMPs)

that are compiled as part of the EIAs.

“In addition, signiﬁcant changes to any

project for which the ECC was granted,

might trigger the need for an amendment

application to ensure that all ‘new’ activities

and potential impacts are properly

addressed.”

ith over 200 years’ experience in

construction and project management,

the bulk earthworks construction management

team on the Etango Uranium Project, easily

qualiﬁes as “heavy-weight”.

A strong team from Wood, the Engineering,

Procurement, and Construction Management

(EPCM) consultants on the project, has moved

on site and is already living up to its values of

being proactive, reliable and respectful.

The site team was put together by Wood to

ensure the successful delivery of the bulk

earthworks portion of the works.

By the end of November 2024, they had

completed the bulk earthworks contractors’

PROGRESS IN SIGHT WITH TEAM ONSITE

Project update

Construction update

camp and the additional contractors’ laydown

area was taking shape nicely. Crucial areas such

as the roads have been started and the water

storage dam is being ﬁlled. Blasting for the

primary crusher (see article alongside) was done

and it is close to 40% complete.

The team has also started excavating the

stockpile tunnel.

BANNERMAN ENERGY | DEC 2024

Roads being constructed on site and

compacted.

The bulk earthworks construction

contractors’ camp is now complete.

An aerial view of the progress on site.

(Background image) The first water storage pond

on site has been lined and filled.

(1) Thomas Winnaar – Wood Construction Manager

A civil engineer and project manager with 45 years

of experience in construction and engineering, with

a particular focus on uranium mine construction in

Namibia.

(2) Darryll Fraser – Wood HSE Manager

Over 19 years’ experience in Health & Safety

Management on construction projects in mining,

covering the full life cycle of projects from inception of

construction, to commissioning and plant handover.

(3) Borris Albertse – Wood Civil Supervisor

A civil engineer and project manager with 45 years of

experience in construction and engineering, with a

particular focus on uranium mine construction in

Namibia.

(4) Horst Schommarz – Wood Civil Supervisor

A civil engineer with 16 years’ experience in civil

construction. He was previously Divisional Manager for

maintenance of the Namibian National Road Network.

(5) Tracey Schultz – Wood Project Administration

With 15 years’ experience in operations and corporate

finance, 10 years of which were in the mining industry,

she works closely with the construction manager and

project.

MEET THE BULK EARTHWORKS

CONSTRUCTION TEAM

ANOTHER ECC

RENEWAL ACHIEVED

We have another Environmental Clearance

Certificate (ECC) renewal in the bag.

The next environmental step

Cooperative Bulk Handling Terminal (Pty) Ltd (CBHT),

part of the Bannerman Energy group of companies, has

appointed A. Speiser Environmental Consultants to conduct

the EIA for the construction and operation of the sulphuric

acid storage and handling facilities at the port of Walvis Bay

and the transport of sulphuric acid to the Etango Mine.

Global events

BANNERMAN ENERGY | DEC 2024

Expanding the use of nuclear power through global collaboration, integrating nuclear into global decarbonisation

strategies, and fuelling the energy needs of AI … these were some of the discussion points at international events in

the past quarter.

150

250

350

EXHIBITION INTEREST GROWS

Exhibitors

Number of booths

2024: 317

2023: 162

2024: 199

International Uranium Fuel

Seminar 2024

October 27-29, Kansas City

annerman Energy’s VP of Market Strategy,

Olga Skorlyakova, attended this event in

Missouri, joining participants across the nuclear

fuel cycle, including utility fuel buyers, uranium

producers, investors, and analysts. Key sessions

explored the ongoing evolution of the fuel cycle,

efforts to establish new mining operations, and

the impact of global geopolitical shifts on nuclear

fuel markets. By addressing pressing topics in

uranium policy, nuclear fuel markets, and trade

dynamics this event offered participants critical

insights into both current challenges and future

opportunities in the industry.

2024 Global Uranium

Conference

October 23-24, Adelaide

ndustry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders

met to discuss the uranium sector’s role in the

clean energy transition.

A major theme was the expected surge in

uranium demand from Artiﬁcial Intelligence (AI).

Craig Scroggie, CEO of NextDC, emphasised the

need for continuous stable electricity to support

data centres.

Bannerman Energy, Communications

Coordinator, Emma Culver, gave an overview of

the Etango Uranium project and how the project

is applying ESG (environmental, social, and

governance) to the construction process.

She focused on:

Environmental Stewardship:

In the unique Namib-Naukluft National Park,

we are minimising our environmental footprint

through careful site management, desalinated

water use, pollution controls, and a strict no-

waste policy.

Empowering Local Communities:

We have broken larger construction contracts

into smaller ones, creating direct opportunities

for local Namibian contractors to participate,

fostering community engagement and directly

beneﬁtting the local community.

Strengthening Governance:

With rigorous contract terms, stringent

environmental standards and ESG reviews, we

ensure our project aligns with industry best

practices, stakeholder expectations and reﬂects

our commitment to responsible operations.

Safety & Culture:

With 15 years of zero lost-time injuries, safety is

a foundational value. We are actively building

a people-ﬁrst culture through aligned values,

our quarterly newsletter (Omasa), employee

town hall meetings, and innovative training

programmes tailored to our diverse team.

2024 World Nuclear

Association Symposium

September 4-6, London

ith over 800 participants, the event

emphasised the urgent need to triple

global nuclear capacity by 2050 to meet rising

energy demands and climate goals. A major

highlight was the renewed commitment by

governments and industry leaders to expand

nuclear power through international collaboration

and investment, particularly in small modular

reactors (SMRs), which are seen as essential for

decentralised, scalable clean energy.

Key announcements included the UAE’s Barakah

Plant’s fourth unit going operational, projected

to meet 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs, and

Orano’s plans for a US-based uranium enrichment

facility. Orano is a French multinational nuclear

fuel cycle corporation.

Companies like Microsoft voiced support for

nuclear alongside renewables, citing nuclear’s

potential to provide “ﬁrm power” crucial for

consistent energy in data centres. (See our article

on page 12.)

Looking forward, the industry aims to build on

the momentum of COP28 commitments with

initiatives and partnerships leading up to COP30,

reﬂecting a period of rapid advancement as

nuclear energy integrates further into global

decarbonisation strategies.

GLOBAL EVENTS HIGHLIGHT

DEMAND FOR NUCLEAR

2023: 268

amibian mining activity – and interest

therein – is higher than it’s ever been.

This was evident at the 11th Mining Expo &

Conference where halls were fully booked

and the conference venue itself had to move

to a tent setup outside the hall. The theme –

‘Green Shoots for Namibia’s Mining Industry:

a Season of Opportunity and Growth to Drive

Economic Expansion’ – set the tone for a

record attendance.

Namibian President-Elect, Netumbo Nandi

Ndaitwah, called on entrepreneurs to venture

into the production of nuclear energy to

beneﬁt from the downstream value chain

activities, emphasising that the mining and

exploration sector contributes signiﬁcantly

to government revenue. This increased from

N$4.4 billion in 2022 to N$6.8 billion in 2023.

Finalising the local content policy for the oil

and gas sector will ensure that Namibians

beneﬁt from every part of the value chain.

“We are committed to maximising the

economic impact of our natural resources,

fostering local expertise, and ensuring that

the wealth generated from these industries

contributes directly to the prosperity of our

people,” she added.

The event certainly left many with a hunger

for more in 2025.

Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia received the Best Stand award

for a Development Company, a newly introduced category.

GREEN SHOOTS TAKE ROOT

Community outreach

BANNERMAN ENERGY | DEC 2024

Ombyarundu Primary

School, Kunene region

Day 1

fter an 844km drive from Swakopmund to

Ruacana, the team delivered 100 uniforms

and school bags to Ombyarundu Primary School.

Started by the community in 2014, the school

has since become a government school and

now provides accommodation to encourage

attendance as most learners have to travel long

distances to school.

The school is located 8km from the Ruacana

Power Station and, because the children see the

workers being ﬂown in and out of this remote

area, many of them aspire to become pilots.

This highlights how exposure to industry is a key

aspect in developing children and their dreams.

King Shuumbwa Primary

School, Oshikoto region

Day 2

ue to the road to the school being a dune

road, it took the team three hours to travel

the less than 200km to meet the learners.

The trip was worth it as this was the ﬁrst time the

school had received such a personal donation,

and their admiration was visible. The team

was treated to refreshments after their long

journey, followed by an ofﬁcial handover, after

which the team sat down to a meal in one of the

classrooms.

Accessibility to the school also means the school

cannot transport donated building materials to

the school where so many of the children have

never seen a brick structure.

Bravel Primary School,

Kavango West region

Day 3

he team next travelled to Bravo village, which

is 120km from Tsumeb. The majority of the

learners appeared destitute and many were

distraught at not receiving a set of uniforms.

Denize Nasilowvski, the professional

photographer who accompanied the team,

proposed including these children when the

team distributed packets of chips. This resulted

in cheers from the children.

The team also distributed Bannerman branded

pens and highlighters to the teachers and many

also requested caps, such as the one worn by

Matjiua Hengua, given the hot environments they

work in.

Waltraud van Wyk, Commercial and Admin

Manager at BMRN, commented on her ﬁrst-time

experience: “Travelling to such isolated areas

brought a new perspective on the dedication of

our company’s management team to reach these

young learners. The joy, appreciation, and sense

of validation we saw in the children were truly

priceless. Despite the challenging circumstances

they face, their eagerness to attend school

and embrace learning is both inspiring and

humbling.”

Number of learners who received school

bags and uniforms

300

Number of days for the Early Learner

Assistance School Run

Three schools were chosen from three regions:

Kunene, Oshikoto and Kavango West

3 x 3

KITTED OUT FOR LEARNING

Matjiua Hengua, BMRN Senior Stakeholder

Relations Advisor, shares the joy with one of the

King Shuumbwa Primary School learners.

In July 2024, three intrepid Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia (BMRN) employees went on an expedition to put

a smile on young learners’ faces. The 2024 Early Learner Assistance School Run saw Matjiua Hengua, Tinus Prinsloo

and Waltraud van Wyk embark on a week-long journey to distribute uniforms to 300 learners across three regions.

(Before) Bravel Primary School learners arrived at school in an assortment

of footwear.

(After) Bravel Primary School learners show off their new socks and shiny

new shoes.

Ombyarundu Primary School

Bravel Primary School

Employee proﬁles

Main responsibility:

Ensuring we have good coffee in the Perth ofﬁce

because without it, someone will have to bail us

out of prison! I am a bit of an all rounder, and

key to my role is ensuring I can be a support

where needed.

How long have been working at the Etango

Project/Bannerman Energy:

14 years! Yes, I believe I am part of the furniture.

What excites you about the Etango Project:

Everything. An incredible amount of work has

gone into our Etango Project over the years,

and it will be a great moment for both past and

current Bannerman employees, especially for

cornerstone ‘Bannermanarians’ such as Clive

Jones, to ﬁnally see our Etango Project become

an operating mine.

One thing that surprised you about your

current role:

I have witnessed how many good and likeable

people work at Bannerman. Not many

companies have such great staff.

Marital status:

I will say married for 35 years…my husband

would say for a very long time.

Children:

Compelled to say ‘four children’ as the youngest

two haven’t accepted they are, in fact, canine.

Lulu (the black dachshund) is 17 years old!

Favourite food:

Coffee and cake.

Where is your ‘happy place’:

Home – where my family lives – which includes

two lovable sausage dogs, who are convinced

they are human too.

Last song you listened to:

Fix You, by Chris Martin from Coldplay.

What are you currently binge-watching – or

reading:

Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War, a

chronological series which provided more

historical accuracy than most other series.

Any podcasts to recommend:

Michael Franzese: What Mob Life is Really Like.

Best way to relax:

Soaking up the views along our beautiful Perth

beaches, sipping away on a large coffee.

Pet peeve:

Humans who are cruel to animals or indifferent

to their suffering. If anyone falls into this

category, you are NOT my type of person.

One thing about yourself that few people

know:

I am a bit of a prankster. I love to laugh and

enjoy making people laugh with me, or at me.

Person who inspires you and why:

My family. My husband, daughter and son are

all very motivated individuals. I am privileged

to share in their passions, appreciate their

honesty, and enjoy their great sense of humour.

Witnessing their love and devotion to animals

makes me proud to be part of the clan.

One thing on your bucket list:

To win the Lotto. But since the odds are heavily

stacked against me, I will remain realistic and

say I would like to discover Europe on an

extended vacation some day and return to

Namibia, where I fell in love with the country

and its people.

Assistant to Brandon Munro,

Accounts and Office Administrator

HIGH PRAISE FROM

HIGH COMMISSION

TWO DECADES

OF PROGRESS

ondesa Youth Opportunities (MYO)

celebrated its 20th anniversary with a

memorable series of events. Donors ﬂew in from

America, South Africa, Australia and Germany and

were treated to a spectacular dinner in the dunes,

followed by formal celebrations at MYO. The day

featured entertainment from its talented learners,

including recorder and marimba performances,

cultural showcases, and singing and dancing by

the African Vocals, a local group of note. Of course,

there was a birthday cake which the MYO team

shared. From left are: Gundula Visagie and Elron

Awase, both board members, Trustee Vera Leech

and MYO Founder and Trustee Robert Myres.

SHAPING

THE FUTURE

he One Economy Foundation raised just over

N$4.5 million at its 9th Annual Fundraising

Soirée. This year’s theme, “SHAPE: Moulding

the Future, Hand in Hand”, underscores the

Foundation’s commitment to nurturing young

Namibians and providing them with the tools,

opportunities and resources they need to reach

their full potential. At the Soirée, One Economy

Foundation’s CEO, Uajorokisa Karuaihe,

highlighted groundbreaking initiatives at the

#BeFree Youth Campus, including reproductive

health services, psychosocial support, and skill-

building programmes for young people.

FAT ROCK PROVIDES SUPPORT

group of coastal mountain bikers who cycled on fatbikes from

Swakopmund to Spitzkoppe raised more than NS$30 000 in donations

for communities in the #Gaingu Conservancy. Orano Mining Namibia

and Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia jointly donated food parcels,

clothing items, nappies and sanitary products for the most vulnerable

households within these communities. The food parcels complemented

existing emergency food aid initiatives in the area as a result of the drought

challenges faced by the region.

Part of an informal fundraising initiative called “Fat Rock”, are (from left):

Werner Ewald, Dr Jasper Lochner, Divan Mostert and Mark de Wet.

he Etango Uranium Project is attracting international attention,

punctuated by a recent visit from the Australian High Commission

in Pretoria.

The delegation was most impressed with the level of care and rehabilitation

put into place during construction of the access roads and the water tank.

The demonstration plant gave a good insight into the heap leach planned

operations for Etango. Tinus Prinsloo, Exploration Superintendent, gave

an interesting presentation that saw the heap leach process simulate the

process of making coffee – from the beans to an espresso!

Photographed at the demonstration plant are (from left): Edward Humphrey

(Australian Honorary Consul, Namibia); Brett Elmer (First Secretary of Trade

and Economics); Gavin Chamberlain (CEO, Bannerman Energy); Tegan Brink

(Australian High Commissioner to South Africa); Matjiua Hengua, Senior

Stakeholder Relations Advisor – BMRN); Werner Ewald (Managing Director,

BMRN), and Tinus Prinsloo, (Exploration Superintendent BMRN).

BANNERMAN ENERGY | DEC 2024

Community engagement

FACE TO FACE WITH...

JOAN KRIGE

(AND HER CANINE CHILDREN)

It’s a wonderful time of the year – where family,

friends and fun take over your diary. Whether

you’re on the beach, in the bush, or behind

the barbeque, we know you’ll be taking lots of

photographs to capture those special moments.

Choose your best one and share it with us.

SHARE YOUR FESTIVE

PHOTOS

HOW TO ENTER:

Send your festive photograph to

Don’t forget to include your full name, position

and contact details.

newsletters@bmnenergy.com

A$100 JUST FOR SAYING ‘CHEESE’.

Competition

You could win

The closing date for both the challenge and

the competition (on the left) is

Challenge

As the world grow’s hungry for knowledge, big

tech companies are building more and more

data centres to feed this need. Our article on

page 12 explains why this is not always a good

thing for our planet, and how nuclear can take

centre-stage.

Answer these three questions to stand a

chance to win A$100:

Q1: How can nuclear energy help the energy

needs of data centres?

Q2: What is the name of “mini-nuclear”

plants?

Q3: How much energy does one ChatGPT

query use up?

HOW TO ENTER:

Send your answers to

Don’t forget to include your full name, position

and contact details. If your answers are correct,

your entry will go into a lucky draw.

newsletters@bmnenergy.com

DATA’S DEMAND FOR

ENERGY GOES NUCLEAR

3RD FEBRUARY 2025.

The following employees celebrate their birthdays in the coming weeks.

DECEMBER:

• Morag Gaze, Financial Accountant

• Jeff Pipe, Project Director

•• Matjiua Hengua,Senior Stakeholder

Relations Advisor

JANUARY:

• Michele Kilbourn Louw,

Environmental Ofﬁcer

LOOK WHO’S BLOWING OUT CANDLES

FEBRUARY:

••• John Turney, Project Advisor

•• Tinus Prinsloo, Exploration

Superintendent

•• Miliken Gurirab, Plant Operator

LEGEND

• Bannerman Energy Ltd (Australia)

•• Bannerman Mining Resources Namibia

•• Bannerman Energy Board

A TASTE OF AFRICA

ichael Dinsdale, senior ﬁnancial analyst

based at Bannerman Energy’s Perth ofﬁce,

recently experienced Africa for the ﬁrst time and

even managed to have dinner with a giraffe.

“The purpose of my visit was to meet my

Bannerman co-workers and participate in a

number of project meetings, attend the Chamber

of Mines Namibia Mining Expo, and visit the

Etango site to observe the progress on early

works construction,” he says.

“It was an extremely fulﬁlling experience,

professionally and personally. It allowed me to

strengthen connections with colleagues and

gain a deeper understanding of Bannerman’s

impactful work on the project and within the local

communities. I would like to extend a sincere

thank you to everyone at Bannerman and Wood

for their gracious hospitality and assistance with

my trip, which contributed to making my travel

safe, enjoyable, and productive.”

THE WRITE STUFF

ino Klaazen’s writing talent has won him ﬁrst

prize in a high school essay competition

organised by Bannerman Mining Resources

Namibia to encourage thinking beyond the

school syllabus. The competition aimed to

educate learners about uranium mining and

sustainable mining practices. Lino is a Grade 11

learner at Coastal High School and his efforts

earned him an iPad. His school also received an

additional N$1 000.

(1) Christa van Rensburg, a retiree from Swakopmund,

is our crossword champion. Her correct entry was

drawn in our competition that challenged how well

people knew Bannerman.

(2) The Swakopmund Scouts group has won our

“Show the world some love” competition. For World

Cleanup Day they focused on a beach cleanup and

continued their good work of collecting rubbish

wherever they have group activities.

On a weekend visit to Omaruru Game Lodge,

Michael had a dinner date with a difference.

A BUNCH OF GOOD SPORTS

n this issue’s highlights, we’re thrilled to celebrate

the athletic achievements of our employees and

their families.

Seven employees from BMRN took part in the

Swakop Uranium Husab Marathon, participating

in both the 5km and 10km fun run. Five of

the team are (from left): Jeanice-Lee van Wyk,

Natalie Visagie, Matjiua Hengua, Karen Emvula,

and Immanuel Shillula. Petrus Shillula (inset), a

ﬁeld technician for Bannerman Resources, was

the overall winner of the 5km run of the Husab

marathon and won N$500 for his efforts.

Waltraud van Wyk, BMRN Commercial and Admin

Manager, was the original soccer mom when her

son, Liam van Wyk, played it like Beckham on

the ﬁeld. Competing in a soccer tournament in

Windhoek, hosted by the DTS Sports Club, Liam’s

team, the U10 Swakopmund Football Club (SFC),

took home gold! Liam is in the back row second

from the right.

OUR NEWEST WINNERS

EACH WIN A$ 100

BANNERMAN ENERGY | DEC 2024

Omasa

Omasa is the newsletter for the Etango Uranium Project managed by the

is the newsletter for the Etango Uranium Project managed by the

following companies:

We want to hear from you!

Omasa

Omasa intends to keep you informed about progress on the Etango Uranium

intends to keep you informed about progress on the Etango Uranium

Project, its people and its activities. What else would you like to read more

about? Send your comments, compliments and suggestions to:

Emma Culver: newsletters@bmnenergy.com.

BANNERMAN

MINING RESOURCES NAMIBIA

BANNERMAN ENERGY | DEC 2024

Editorial team: Gavin Chamberlain, Emma Culver

Gavin Chamberlain, Emma Culver

Production: Words’Worth

Words’Worth

Industry news

INTELLIGENT DEMAND

FOR NUCLEAR

Big tech companies are in dire need of clean energy

as they race to develop data centres used to power AI

models. Nuclear to the rescue …

uman beings are hungry for knowledge and data … and data centres

are even hungrier consumers of energy. A single query to ChatGPT uses

as much electricity as burning a light bulb for about 20 minutes.

as much electricity as burning a light bulb for about 20 minutes.1 Multiply that

Multiply that

by the millions of requests that this artiﬁcial intelligence (AI) chatbot receives

each day, and the environmental impact could be ominous.

However, while energy demand is high from the tech giants – such as

Microsoft, Google, Meta Platforms and Amazon Web Services – eager to

feed their data centres, these companies are increasingly turning to nuclear

power as a way to fulﬁll the growing energy demands from data centres.

Nuclear power has become an attractive option for companies hoping to

source larger amounts of energy while minimising carbon emissions.

Clean growth

“Nuclear energy has a critical role to play in supporting our clean growth

and helping to deliver on the progress of AI,” Michael Terrell, senior director

for energy and climate at Google, announced in October. “The grid needs

these kinds of clean, reliable sources of energy that can support the build

out of these technologies. ... and help meet our demand cleanly, around the

clock.”

Data centres need reliable power every minute of every day, and nuclear

is the only source of emissions-free baseload power. This refers to the

minimum amount of electric power needed to be supplied to the electrical

grid at any given time. Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology is a “new-

frontier” step in achieving nuclear power. SMRs, sometimes known as “mini-

nuclear” plants, are much smaller than traditional reactors and therefore

easier to scale. As an alternative to giant conventional nuclear power

stations, SMRs are also cheaper and faster to deploy.

Google has signed the world’s ﬁrst corporate agreement to buy power from

multiple SMRs to meet electricity demand for AI. Amazon, too, is investing

in numerous SMRs, while Oracle plans to build a data centre campus with

three SMRs.

Microsoft plans to purchase energy from the reactivated Three Mile Island

Unit 1 nuclear-generating station in Pennsylvania.

Whether generated by large or small reactors, nuclear power is clearly the

intelligent choice for the future.

The energy used by one ChatGPT query will power

a light bulb for 20 minutes.

Ireland’s data centres will use almost one-third of

the country’s electricity by 2029.

27%

Big tech companies will account for almost half of

new electricity demand growth in the US by 2028.

44%

Mins

1Reference: https://www.npr.org/2024/07/12/g-s1-9545/ai-brings-soaring-emissions-for-

google-and-microsoft-a-major-contributor-to-climate-change

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