The nuclear solution
The nuclear solution
The development of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining is putting unprecedented pressure on global power grids. Renewable energy, while essential, is not currently capable of sustaining this revolution alone.
Nuclear power, especially in its new modular generation is the only concrete option to fuel innovation without plunging into a global energy crisis.
the nuclear solution
The digital world is hungry for electricity. This is not a metaphor, but a concrete emergency: technological innovation is devouring available energy and pushing national infrastructure to the brink. The two main forces driving this surge are artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining. Both aim high, but could crash against the invisible ceiling of energy insufficiency.
While Bitcoin mining consumes as much energy as an entire mid-sized country, the training and daily execution of artificial intelligence models require similarly massive resources. A single language model like GPT-4 can burn through millions of kilowatt-hours during training, while its responses—generated thousands of times per second—continue to strain networks across the globe.
In this context, renewables are not enough. Solar and wind suffer from intermittency. Dams can’t be built on demand. Natural gas is vulnerable to geopolitical shocks. And while new green projects are underway, energy urgency is growing faster than the construction sites.
The reality, without euphemisms, is that nuclear is back. Not out of nostalgia for a past era, but because today it is the only mature, stable, scalable, and low-emission technology capable of sustaining the new digital civilization. Quietly but backed by billions in investment, giants like Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and OpenAI are exploring atomic solutions to power their data centers. Small modular reactors (SMRs)—more flexible and secure—are now Silicon Valley’s new energy obsession.
This trend is confirmed by the growing tension between crypto miners and AI giants. In Kuwait, electricity consumption dropped by 55% in a single week after a crackdown on mining. In Texas, rolling blackouts prompted ERCOT, the state’s grid operator, to request voluntary power cuts from data centers. In Europe, tech companies are lobbying to secure power supply priority.
This isn’t just about computational power—it’s a strategic issue: whoever controls electricity over the next twenty years will control progress. And conversely, those stuck in outdated anti-nuclear ideologies will be forced to import not just energy, but innovation.
The debate must be reopened, this time without ideological bias. There’s no more room for romantic narratives or hypocritical environmentalism. The future must be powered.
The digital energy race: between blackouts and nuclear rebirths
Kuwait made headlines. In just one week, national power consumption dropped by 55% following a government crackdown on crypto mining. The message is clear: prior to that operation, hundreds of clandestine mining facilities were draining the grid in a country already under pressure due to population growth, extreme heat, and near-collapse infrastructure.
The Kuwaiti paradox: cheap energy that breaks the system
In the small Gulf emirate, electricity is extremely cheap thanks to state subsidies and abundant hydrocarbons. But when kilowatt-hour costs are near zero and there’s no clear regulation on mining, the inevitable consequence is an uncontrolled surge in energy-hungry operations, eventually bringing the entire system to its knees. The result? Blackouts and repression.
Governing digital energy: when mining becomes an asset
Yet the story doesn’t have to end in collapse. Some countries have successfully transformed mining from a threat into an economic asset—by regulating energy access, establishing dedicated industrial zones, and in some cases directly investing in the sector. It’s not just about power, but about technological governance.
The nuclear solution
El Salvador: from bitcoin law to sovereign hashrate
The most well-known case is El Salvador. After adopting Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021, President Nayib Bukele’s government launched a mining plan powered by volcanic geothermal energy. While still limited in scale, the project has strong symbolic weight: a developing country choosing to harness innovation rather than fall behind—leveraging renewables to support a strategic asset.
Russia: centralization as control
Russia has also embraced mining, though with a different logic. Since 2024, the government has legalized the activity, requiring miners to register, declare their profits, and sell at least 50% of proceeds through Russian platforms. Simultaneously, mining has been banned in regions facing energy risk. The result is a hybrid model—part Soviet-style planning, part digital capitalism.
Kazakhstan: rules, licenses, and fiscal return
After an unregulated boom caused energy crises in 2021, Kazakhstan reformed its approach entirely. Mining is now legal, taxed, and subject to public licensing. Companies must demonstrate use of clean energy or long-term contracts, thereby contributing to the growth of renewables.
Bhutan: bitcoin in the Himalayas
The Himalayan kingdom is home to a surprising experiment. Bhutan has invested hundreds of millions into crypto mining, relying on its abundant hydropower resources. In partnership with Bitdeer, the country is building an infrastructure capable of delivering up to 600 MW of mining power: zero emissions, zero grid conflicts, zero repression.
United Arab Emirates: free zones, energy, and strategy
The UAE has taken a strategic approach to mining and cryptocurrencies: rather than suppressing them, it has integrated them into a regulated and business-friendly ecosystem. In Dubai, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) already hosts dozens of blockchain and mining companies protected by clear regulations and tax incentives. Abu Dhabi has invested in green data centers and is evaluating mining projects powered by solar—and potentially nuclear—energy, drawing from the Barakah reactors.
This isn’t the Wild West. It’s digital capitalism under tight regulation: companies must be licensed, comply with KYC/AML guidelines, and often operate only in designated zones. The result is a system where energy is not wasted but planned—making mining part of a broader post-oil economic diversification strategy.
United States: liberty, competition, and private nuclear
The American colossus is a complex but dynamic model. States like Texas have welcomed mining as an economic opportunity, offering low-cost energy and incentives. Others, like New York, have imposed environmental moratoriums. But the federal trend—encouraged by the Trump administration—is clear: constitutional protection for the right to mine, and investment in small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to power future data centers and crypto farms.
The nuclear solution
AI and crypto: two worlds, one thirst
While crypto miners seek stable, low-cost electricity, major tech companies—from Meta to OpenAI—do the same for their AI models. And they often clash. It has already happened in Texas, where blackouts hit both inference servers and mining facilities. That’s why the real issue is whether governments can plan digital energy usage—deciding what to power, and with what sources.
Beyond return: the courage to act
Nuclear energy is no longer just one option among many: it is the strategic pivot of any sound energy policy. Renewables alone won’t suffice. Fossil fuels are politically volatile. Nuclear, now more modular, safe, and sustainable, is the backbone on which to build energy sovereignty in the age of innovation.
Kuwait’s case shows what happens when energy is managed without vision. The other countries prove it’s not inevitable. With clear rules, long-term investments, and political courage, we can live with digital energy—and even turn it into a growth engine.
Kilowatts are the new currency of technological sovereignty. Those who don’t see it today will be left in the dark tomorrow.
The real question is: who will know how to turn kilowatts into value?
The nuclear solution
