{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story Big Tech turns to nuclear energy to power AI boomMajor technology companies are increasingly turning to nuclear energy as they attempt to keep up with the vast energy demands of artificial intelligence (AI) without derailing their highly publicized environmental goals. © Adobe Stock Google announced Monday it inked a deal with Kairos Power to purchase nuclear energy from a fleet of small modular reactors, a kind of advanced nuclear reactor yet to be seen in the U.S.   Two days later, Amazon announced it signed a series of deals to invest in advanced nuclear reactors, including an agreement with Northwest Energy to build four small modular reactors in Washington.  Nuclear energy operator Constellation Energy announced last month it reached a deal with Microsoft to reopen Three Mile Island to power the tech giant’s data centers for two decades starting in 2028.   The increased energy demands of AI have resulted in greater emissions for Big Tech companies at a time when they are attempting to fulfill promises to become carbon-neutral or negative.  Matt Crozat, executive director of strategy and policy at the Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade group representing the industry, said nuclear energy is a particularly good fit for tech companies because one plant can produce a lot of power at a time, which is needed to keep AI going. “It takes a lot of energy to run big data centers, and so being able to think in bigger chunks of carbon-free power, like a nuclear station, begins to make sense. If these were very small or niche applications, you might not have the same need,” Crozat said. Read more from Rachel and our colleague Julia Shapero at The Hill.  Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:  Global water cycle off balance for ‘first time in human history’: ReportThe world’s water cycle is out of balance ”for the first time in human history,” according to a new report.  Full Story  Phillips 66 to close oil refinery after Newsom lawPhillips 66 announced Wednesday it will close its 650-acre oil refinery complex near the Port of Los Angeles by the fourth quarter of 2025, days after Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a new law regulating gas storage and refineries.  Full Story  NOAA releases 2024-25 winter weather outlook: Here’s what to expect (NEXSTAR) — Depending on where you live in the U.S., this winter could bring a mix of snow and rain or an unseasonably warm start to the season, according to climate experts.  Full Story  In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: IV shortage ‘creates havoc’ for hospitals, exposing supply chain ‘whack-a-mole’ A shortage of IV fluid in the wake of Hurricane Helene is shining a spotlight on the fragility and vulnerability of the country’s medical supply chain.  Full Story   What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics: A new demo plant will repurpose mining waste and also capture CO2 (Canary Media)  Lawsuits aim to prevent ‘illegal’ hiding of toxic chemicals by US regulators (The Guardian) Water wars in the western U.S. could spread to the Midwest, Great Plains (NPR)   What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now:Momentum shifts against Harris in presidential race The tides of the election are turning against Vice President Harris.  Read more5 takeaways from a contentious Bret Baier, Harris interview Vice President Harris sat for her toughest interview yet since becoming the Democratic nominee, getting peppered with questions from Fox News’s Bret Baier on Wednesday. Read more   Opinions in The Hill  Op-ed related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: We aren’t ready for AI: The energy debate we need to have   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Energy and Environment newsletter Subscribe