【By Guan察 Zhe Wang Liu Bai】

Under the wave of "electricity-hungry" artificial intelligence development, energy consumption has become a focal point of concern. At an event on September 4th, Jarod Agen, head of the newly established National Energy Leadership Committee in the United States, referred to nuclear power as the third move of the Trump administration to win the AI competition with China. He stated that the Trump administration prefers to provide loan guarantees and tax reductions for nuclear power rather than wind and solar energy, as nuclear power is "more American in character" compared to these energy forms.

Agen said that compared to wind farms and solar power plants, nuclear power uses a higher proportion of domestically manufactured components in the United States, so the government tends to provide economic assistance through the U.S. Loan Program Office and support related tax incentive policies.

According to Reuters, Agen said at an event at the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): "Nuclear energy is an emerging field, and we need investment to make progress, which is exactly the long-term strategy the president wants to implement. Nuclear energy has not yet received appropriate investment and has not been given the same attention as some other intermittent energy sources."

He added that the companies leading in the construction of nuclear reactors are all American companies.

The Amazon Web Services data center (front right) is under construction next to the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant. Visual China

Agen said that building nuclear power is the third measure of the Trump administration to win the AI competition with China, following extending the lifespan of aging coal-fired power plants and improving the efficiency of the existing grid.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, had warned that "the next shortage will be electricity" around AI development.

Trump has long been opposed to renewable energy, especially wind and solar, but has a strong preference for traditional fossil fuels like oil and coal. When he was interviewed by Fox News in June, he said, "I don't want wind turbines ruining our homes. I don't want those ugly solar facilities that stretch for miles and cover half a mountain."

In recent weeks, Trump has taken a series of measures to halt the expansion of offshore wind power projects. Offshore wind power was a core initiative of former President Biden to combat climate change, but it is currently facing soaring costs and supply chain disruptions.

The most notable measure was that the Trump administration last month issued a stop-work order for the "Revolution Wind" project off the coast of Rhode Island, which has already completed 80%.

Regarding the criticism that revoking permits for nearly completed renewable energy projects would cause instability and uncertainty, Agen refuted it. He stated that the Trump administration is sending a signal: successful projects should not rely on tax credits or subsidies.

He said, "If a project is financially viable and can proceed without relying on tax subsidies, then such a project is worth investing in. I think this is the message we are trying to convey, and we have also seen success in the fossil fuel sector in this regard."

On the other hand, Trump signed an executive order in May to encourage the use of nuclear energy in civilian sectors. Trump plans to double the U.S. nuclear power output within 25 years, increasing it from the current 100 gigawatts (GW) to 400 gigawatts (GW) by 2050.

However, a previous article in French magazine L'Express stated that although the U.S. and Europe are striving to revive their industries, they face severe challenges in policy continuity and industrial foundations. In contrast, China has already taken the lead in technology, cost, and construction speed. Although Western countries once promoted Chinese nuclear energy development through technology transfer, a former engineer from the French electricity company lamented, "We taught them (China), and they surpassed us."

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7546401457034002982/

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