Southeast Asia-Data Centers-Nuclear Power

FILE -US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, takes part in a memorandum of understanding signing with Malaysia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamad Hasan during the 58th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, July 10, 2025.

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Southeast Asia revisits nuclear power plans for AI data centers as Iran war disrupts energy supplies

Southeast Asia revisits nuclear power plans for AI data centers as Iran war disrupts energy supplies

Nuclear power is getting a second look across Southeast Asia to prepare for surging demand for power for artificial intelligence-focused data centers. Analysts say the Iran war energy crisis is also adding momentum to nuclear interest and action in the region. Countries are reviving mothballed nuclear plans and many have set ambitious targets. If met, nuclear energy will be added to national power grids across half of Southeast Asia in the 2030s. Nations like Malaysia say nuclear can satisfy the region's energy-hungry data center industry, which has caught the eye of tech giants like Microsoft, Google and Nvidia, without raising carbon emissions. But longstanding concerns around atomic energy remain.