Missouri’s Nuclear Bet: Will the Data Centers Even Come?
So let’s talk about what’s happening in Missouri right now—it’s a big deal. The state just hosted a high-profile nuclear energy summit in Columbia, and if you listen to the state and federal officials there, you’d think we’re standing at the edge of an energy revolution. The pitch? Missouri must
Leaders at the summit were firm: AI is coming, it’s power-hungry, and Missouri needs to be ready. They argued that new nuclear plants are critical infrastructure for this new era. Doug True from the Nuclear Energy Institute laid it out in a striking way: just asking an AI chatbot for a quirky image—like your dog driving a car—uses a thousand times more energy than a Google search. That’s wild. And it underscores the point that AI isn’t just a technological leap—it’s a power-hungry monster.
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But here’s where it gets murky. The assumption that AI data centers are coming to Missouri isn’t backed by any guarantees. In fact, a lot of the supposed data center interest is veiled in secrecy. Names of companies aren’t disclosed. Plans are vague. And some officials have openly admitted that Missouri has already lost out on multiple projects.
There’s a belief floating around—“if we build it, they will come.” But experts warn that’s wishful thinking. Missouri doesn’t currently offer the same juicy incentives that other states have for data centers. And if the companies choose to go elsewhere, which they often do, Missouri residents could be stuck footing the bill for nuclear infrastructure that no one ends up needing.
Energy experts are calling it out for what it is—speculative. One expert even said, the biggest risk is that we build all this new energy generation for a load that never arrives. That’s not just a policy hiccup—that’s a massive financial burden for every ratepayer in the state.
What’s more, even if data centers do come, many of them are now building their own power sources. Meta is planning its own nuclear generators. Others are building gas plants right next to their facilities. If they’re not using Missouri’s grid, then what are we building all this nuclear energy for?
This is more than a debate about infrastructure—it’s about transparency, accountability, and economic responsibility. Missouri is staking a big claim on a future that might not arrive. And if it doesn’t, regular people are the ones left holding the bag.
So yeah, Missouri’s nuclear dreams might sound like forward-thinking energy planning—but unless the data centers actually show up, and unless they rely on the grid we’re building for them, this could be one very expensive gamble.
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