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Sep 25, 2025 8:00 PM

OpenAI's $850 Billion Build-Out Needs Power Of 17 Nuclear Plants — Or 9 Hoover Dams

OpenAI has plans for an enormous $850 billion expansion, constructing data centers that will require as much energy as 17 nuclear facilities to fulfill the explosive demand for AI tools. 

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Massive Energy Needs & Price Tag

CEO Sam Altman described the scale and pace as ambitious, yet potentially too slow given how rapidly AI adoption is growing.

Altman revealed to CNBC the massive scale of OpenAI's infrastructure plan, which matches the energy output of nine Hoover Dams and would power over 13 million American homes. 

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The infrastructure projects involve partnerships ...