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#nonukesforai

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The Staggering #Ecological Impacts of Computation and the #Cloud

Anthropologist Steven Gonzalez illustrates some of the diverse #environmental impacts of data storage.

by Steven Gonzalez Monserrate

Excerpt: "#TheCloud now has a greater #CarbonFootprint than the airline industry. A single #DataCenter can consume the equivalent electricity of 50,000 homes. At 200 terawatt hours (TWh) annually, data centers collectively devour more energy than some nation-states. Today, the electricity utilized by data centers accounts for 0.3 percent of overall #CarbonEmissions, and if we extend our accounting to include networked devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets, the total shifts to 2 percent of global carbon emissions.

"Why so much energy? Beyond cooling, the energy requirements of data centers are vast. To meet the pledge to customers that their data and cloud services will be available anytime, anywhere, data centers are designed to be hyper-redundant: If one system fails, another is ready to take its place at a moment’s notice, to prevent a disruption in user experiences. Like Tom’s air conditioners idling in a low-power state, ready to rev up when things get too hot, the data center is a Russian doll of redundancies: redundant power systems like diesel generators, redundant servers ready to take over computational processes should others become unexpectedly unavailable, and so forth. In some cases, only 6 to 12 percent of energy consumed is devoted to active computational processes. The remainder is allocated to cooling and maintaining chains upon chains of redundant fail-safes to prevent costly downtime."

Read more:
getpocket.com/explore/item/the
#NoNukesForAI #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukesForDatacenters #AI #LMs #Datacenters #WaterIsLife

PocketThe Staggering Ecological Impacts of Computation and the CloudAnthropologist Steven Gonzalez illustrates some of the diverse environmental impacts of data storage.
Replied in thread

@TonyWideman Heh. Yeah, I'll hang on to my DVDs thank you. Considering streaming services can just "remove" titles -- even ones we pay for -- it's best to have physical media!

"Because of streaming services dominating the media these days, physical media like DVDs and CDs have become relics of the past. We bet you haven’t watched a DVD in years, yet you probably still have your collection. Because of streaming services dominating the media these days, physical media like DVDs and CDs have become relics of the past. We bet you haven’t watched a DVD in years, yet you probably still have your collection."
msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/
#PhysicalMedia #NoNukesForAI #DatacentersUseTooMuchElectricity

www.msn.comMSN

#Wildfire risks high at #US #NuclearPlants

Posted on January 19, 2025 by beyondnuclearinternational

The GAO identifies a number of US nuclear power plant sites that are vulnerable to the possible outbreak of #wildfires where they are located.

"'According to our analysis of U.S. Forest Service and NRC data, about 20 percent of nuclear power plants (16 of 75) are located in areas with a high or very high potential for wildfire,' the GAO report states. 'More specifically, more than one-third of nuclear power plants in the South (nine of 25) and West (three of eight) are located in areas with a high or very high potential for wildfire.' The GAO goes on to identify 'Of the 16 plants with high or very high potential for wildfire, 12 are operating and four are shut down.'

"To analyze exposure to the wildfire hazard potential, the GAO used 2023 data from the U.S. Forest Service’s Wildfire Hazard Potential Map. 'High / very high refers to plants in areas with high or very high wildfire hazard potential. Those nuclear power stations described by GAO as 'high / very high' exposure to wildfires and their locations are excerpted from GAO Appendix III: Nuclear Power Plant Exposure to Selected Natural Hazards.

Table 1: Potential High Exposure to 'Wildfires' at Operating Nuclear Power Plants

–AZ / #SAFER, one of two mobile nuclear emergency equipment supply units in the nation, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–CA / #DiabloCanyon Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–FL / #TurkeyPoint Units 3 & 4 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–GA / #EdwinIHatch Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–GA / #Vogtle Units Units 1, 2, 3 & 4, nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #BrunswickNC Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #McGuireNC Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NC / #ShearonHarris Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH /VERY HIGH”
–NB / #CooperNuclearPowerStation, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–SC / #Catawba Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–SC / #HBRobinson Units 1 & 2 nuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–WA / #ColumbiaNuclear power station, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”

Table 2: Potential High Exposure to “Wildfires” at Shutdown Nuclear Power Plants

–CA / #SanOnofre Units 1 & 2, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–FL / #CrystalRiver, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NJ / #OysterCreek, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”
–NY / #IndianPoint Units 1, 2 & 3, “HIGH / VERY HIGH”

"Wildfires can transport #radioactive contamination from nuclear facilities

"A historical review of wildfires that occur around nuclear facilities (research, military and commercial power) identifies that these events are also a very effective transport mechanism of radioactivity previously generated at these sites and subsequently released into the environment by accident, spills and leaks, and careless dumping. The radioactivity is #resuspended by wildfires that occur years, even decades later.

"The fires carry the radioactivity on smoke particles #downwind, thus expanding the zone of #contamination further and further with each succeeding fire. The dispersed #radionuclides can have very long half-lives meaning they remain biologically hazardous in the environment for decades, centuries and longer."

Read more:
beyondnuclearinternational.org
#Downwinders #NoNukes #RethinkNotRestart #NoNukesForAI #NuclearSafety #ClimateCrisis

Beyond Nuclear International · Wildfire risks high at nuclear plants20% of US reactors are extremely vulnerable
Continued thread

So yeah, I'm pretty sure the #RockyMountains are more geologically stable than #YuccaMountain or #WIPP in #NewMexico. And with #ClimateChange trashing coastlines, it's probably NOT a good idea to keep storing used #NuclearFuel next to the plants (which are usually situated near water sources). However, we should only use #NuclearPower to get us through until #renewables and #BatteryStorage becomes efficient and non-toxic -- and NOT poison the future for garbled recipes or greedy CEOs (any more than we already have)!
#NuclearWaste #NoNukesForAI #NuclearWasteRepository

#WaterShortage fears as Labour’s first #AIGrowth zone sited close to new #reservoir

First #datacentre site proposed seven miles from #AbingdonReservoir planned for water-stressed #SouthEastEngland

by Helena Horton Environment reporter
Mon 13 Jan 2025

"Labour’s first artificial intelligence growth zone will be sited close to the UK’s first new reservoir in 30 years, sparking fears that the AI push will add to the 'severe pressure' on water supplies in the area.

"Keir Starmer announced on Monday that he would hugely increase artificial intelligence capacity and reduce planning restrictions on companies that wanted to build datacentres by setting up '#GrowthZones' with fewer constraints [like #ExportProcessingZones and #FreeTradeZones].

"The first of these will be in #CulhamOxfordshire, only seven miles from a reservoir planned by #ThamesWater in Abingdon, which was supposed to provide water to people in the severely water-stressed south-east of England. This is the area of the country most at risk of running out of water, according to the Environment Agency. #Oxfordshire has faced particular issues, with areas reliant on #BottledWater during #heatwaves.

"AI datacentres use a large amount of water, as their servers generate heat. To prevent computer systems overheating and shutting down, the centres use cooling towers and outside air systems, both of which need clean, fresh water. AI consumes between 1.8 and 12 litres of water for each kilowatt hour of energy usage across Microsoft’s global datacentres. One study estimates that global AI could account for up to 6.6bn cubic metres of water use by 2027 – the equivalent of nearly two-thirds of England’s annual consumption.

"Even without a big increase in AI datacentres, by 2050, England faces a shortfall of nearly 5bn litres of water a day between the sustainable supplies available and the expected demand. This is more than a third of the 14bn litres of water currently put into public supply. The south-east faces a potential deficit of more than 2.5bn litres a day in the same period.

"AI could wipe out gains made by businesses in reducing their water consumption; the government is seeking a 9% reduction in non-household (business) consumption by 2037-38 from 2019-20 levels, and currently businesses are on course to achieve a reduction of 6.1%.

Adrian Ramsay MP, Green Party co-leader, said: 'While communities will face #heatwaves, #droughts and water shortages over the coming decades, this strategy locks us into pumping huge amounts of water into AI datacentres. One estimate said AI-related infrastructure may soon consume six times more water than Denmark, a country of 6 million people. What will this mean for residents in water-stressed communities like Culham in Oxfordshire?'"

Read more:

theguardian.com/technology/202
#WaterIsLife #DataCenters #WaterShortages #NoWaterForData #NoWaterForAI #NoNukesForAI #BigData

The Guardian · Water shortage fears as Labour’s first AI growth zone sited close to new reservoirBy Helena Horton

PM plans to 'unleash AI' across #UK to boost growth

Liv McMahon, Zoe Kleinman & Charlotte Edwards, January 13, 2025

"Sir Keir said the UK would become one of the AI 'superpowers' - mirroring former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's drive to boost the UK sector so it could rival that of the US and China.

"At the time, many of Sunak's proposals were geared towards mitigating future risks of highly powerful AI systems.

"In October 2023, he said AI could enable faster, easier production of chemical and biological weapons, or be used by terrorist groups to spread disinformation.

"He added that in a worst-case scenario, society could lose control over AI.

"His government's emphasis on 'safety' seems largely absent in this new plan - instead focusing on maximising opportunities, growth and innovation."

Read more:
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crr05j
#NoNukesForAI #AI #Terminator

Two women working together in an office, with one gesturing with her hands as she speaks, and the other typing on a keyboard
BBC NewsArtificial Intelligence: Plan to 'unleash AI' across UK revealedLeading tech firms are said to have committed £14bn towards the project, which could create more than 13,000 jobs.

A tale of two #NuclearPowerPlants along #LakeMichigan: Extended life and a revival?

WUWM 89.7 FM | By Chuck Quirmbach
Published January 10, 2025

"This year could be a big year for the status of two nuclear power plants around Lake Michigan.

"That includes a shutdown plant just 120 miles east of Kenosha that is seeking a first-of-its-kind restart.

"The year could also be significant for extending the life of #Wisconsin's only working commercial plant, located 95 miles north of #Milwaukee.

"On the west shore of Lake Michigan, #NextEraEnergy says it still wants a 20-year extension for the two reactors at the #PointBeachNuclearPowerPlant, located north of #TwoRivers, which would keep the site operating until the early 2050s.

"If that plan sounds familiar, it’s because #WUWM has been reporting on the proposal for about four years. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (#NRC) approval is still pending.

"In a written statement this month, Florida-based #NextEra said it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Point Beach, 'ensuring it’s ready to produce energy for decades to come.' The company says the plant powers nearly 1 million homes and businesses and provides about 14% of Wisconsin’s electricity.

"But nuclear power critics, like #KevinKamps of #BeyondNuclear, say there are concerns that key parts of the power production units are too #brittle to last another 20-plus years. He says there’s an alternative.

"'Point Beach’s electricity could easily be replaced through the expansion of #RenewableEnergy in Wisconsin. It’s ready to go. It would be more effective for the people of Wisconsin. It would certainly be much safer,' Kamps says.

"On the east shore of the lake, the #PalisadesNuclearPlant in #CovertTownship, Michigan, shut down nearly three years ago. But at the urging of some federal, state, and local officials, the Biden administration has provided a $1.5 billion loan to Holtec International, which bought the mothballed plant from the utility Entergy, so Holtec can try to restart Palisades.

[...]

"A key concern appears to be the damaged steam generator tubes at Palisades, which are likely to need repair or replacement. On Jan. 14, Holtec and the NRC are scheduled to discuss the matter.

"The NRC says Holtec will have to prove the plant is safe.

"Incoming President Donald Trump has made conflicting statements about nuclear power, so it’s unclear if he will try to get the NRC to favor either of the Lake Michigan plants."

wuwm.com/environment/2025-01-1
#NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #RethinkNotRestart #HoltecLies #RenewablesNow #WaterIsLife #AgingNuclearPlants #NuclearSafety #NuclearWaste #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree

WUWM · A tale of two nuclear power plants along Lake Michigan: Extended life and a revival?By Chuck Quirmbach

New partnership to bring #nuclear technology to a #CryptoMining plant in #NorthTonawanda

Story by Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, January 8, 2025

"A new collaboration between the two companies could bring nuclear technology to a crypto-mining plant in North Tonawanda.

The memorandum of understanding signed between Digihost and #NANONuclear in December is aimed at bringing nuclear reactor technology to the #Digihost’s current crypto mining plant in #ErieAvenue."

Read more:
msn.com/en-us/technology/tech-
#NoNukesForAI #CryptoCurrency #NoNukes #NuclearWaste #Terminator #NewYorkState

www.msn.comMSN

Since the 2011 #Fukushima accident, Japan has restarted 14 #NuclearReactors

1/10/2025

"Japanese utilities restarted two additional nuclear reactors in 2024 that had been suspended from operations in response to the 2011 #FukushimaDaiichi accident, taking the total number of restarted reactors to 14 since the accident.

"In November, #TohokuElectricPowerCo. restarted its 796-megawatt (MW) #Onagawa Unit 2 reactor, and in December #ChugokuElectricPowerCo. restarted its #Shimane Unit 2 (789 MW). Onagawa is the nuclear power plant located closest to the epicenter of the March 2011 #earthquake and tsunami.

"Most of the restarted reactors have been pressurized water reactors (PWR) located in western Japan. Onagawa Unit 2 and Shimane Unit 2, by contrast, are the first boiling water reactors (BWR) to be restarted. Onagawa Unit 2 is also the first reactor in the eastern part of the country to be restarted. Japan’s nuclear regulator prioritized the restart of PWRs due to public safety concerns regarding BWR technology, which is the design of the Fukushima Daiichi units.

"Japan suspended its nuclear fleet from 2013 to 2015 for mandatory safety checks and upgrades following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident. Before the accident, 54 commercial nuclear reactors were operating in Japan, and nuclear power accounted for approximately 30% of the country’s electricity generation. Nuclear restarts have proceeded slowly since the first two units (#Sendai Units 1 and 2) were restarted in 2015. Restarts have been slow due to a significantly more stringent safety inspection and authorization process established after the accident and local court injunctions emerging from ongoing public safety concerns in some regions. Public support for restarts has been growing in Japan recently, however.

"Under the current restart process, once regulatory approvals have been granted, the local municipality and prefectural governments are consulted prior to restart. In addition to the 14 reactors already restarted, three more units (namely, the #KashiwazakiKariwa Unit 6 and Unit 7 and the #TokaiDaini unit) have received regulatory approval to restart but have yet to do so. Tohoku Electric Power announced in 2018 that Onagawa Unit 1 would be decommissioned rather than upgraded, but the utility plans to seek approval to restart Onagawa Unit 3. Restarting another 10 units is under regulatory review.

"The suspension of Japan's nuclear fleet after the Fukushima accident significantly increased dependence on natural gas, oil, and coal imports to make up for lost domestic nuclear generation. It also significantly increased the installed capacity of solar photovoltaic generation in the country, according to data from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Japan has limited domestic fossil fuel resources and imports virtually all the fossil fuels it uses. Consequently, Japan is the world's second-largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after China and the third-largest importer of coal.

"As part of Japan’s sixth long-term energy plan, last updated in October 2021, the central government called for the nuclear share of the country’s electricity generation to reach 20%–22% by 2030. Nuclear power accounted for about 6% of Japan’s electricity generation in 2023. A draft of Japan’s seventh long-term energy plan was released on December 17, 2024, and says nuclear power should account for 20% of Japan’s energy supply in 2040.

"Japan’s current policy intends to maximize the use of existing reactors by restarting as many units as possible and extending the #LicensedOperatingLife beyond the current 60-year limit."

Source:
gasprocessingnews.com/news/202
#NoNukesForAI #RenewablesNow #RethinkNotRestart #NoMoreFukushimas #TEPCOLies #KEPCOLies #NoNukes #NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerCorruptionAndLies

gasprocessingnews.comSince the 2011 Fukushima accident, Japan has restarted 14 nuclear reactorsJapanese utilities restarted two additional nuclear reactors in 2024 that had been suspended from operations in response to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident, taking the total number of restarted reactors to 14 since the accident.

#Tribes, #environmentalists gather forces against Amazon’s #Northwest #nuclear plan

Amazon’s push for small modular nuclear reactors [#SMR] is just the latest development in decades long fight over #NuclearEnergy

By Antonio Sierra (OPB)
Jan. 7, 2025

"Chuck Johnson was 25 years old when he helped bring Oregon’s nuclear energy industry to a sudden halt.

"Fresh out of college, Johnson helped lead signature gathering and field organizing to pass Ballot Measure 7, which banned all new nuclear power plants in the state until the U.S. had a federally licensed permanent disposal facility. When Oregon’s only nuclear energy facility was closed in 1992, the measure effectively ensured that nothing would take its place unless major changes happened.

"For decades those changes seemed unlikely, but a new push by the power-hungry tech industry has reignited interest in nuclear energy in the region.

"Amazon announced in October that it is partnering with Energy Northwest to develop and build nuclear reactors in southeast #WashingtonState that would power its #DataCenters in #Umatilla and #Morrow counties. Amazon would work with its partners to develop and roll out a novel technology – small modular nuclear reactors – without brushing up against the limits of Measure 7 because the reactors would be north of the #ColumbiaRiver.

"For Amazon, SMRs would allow the tech and e-commerce giant to harness the immense, low-carbon [sic] power potential of nuclear energy while staying true to its climate goals, and avoiding the safety and environmental concerns that have plagued traditional reactors. More than 40 years after passing Measure 7, Johnson isn’t convinced.

"'If you can’t get rid of the waste produced by these plants, it’s irresponsible for us to – for the sake of some electricity right now – leave this legacy to future generations,' he said.

"Johnson is a part of a group of environmentalists, academics and American Indian tribes who are gathering force against a nuclear energy revival in the Northwest.

"Nuclear energy opponents argue that SMRs are simply a new coat of paint on the industry’s old problems. Like traditional reactors, they say that SMRs aren’t economically feasible and risk exposing people to #NuclearRadiation in a region still recovering from its World War II legacy."

Read more:
opb.org/article/2025/01/07/tri
#NoNukesForAI #NoNukesForBezos #AmazonCorporation #NoNukesForTechBros #NoNukes #NativeAmericanActivism #AntinuclearActivism #NoNukesForBigTech #BigTech #AWS #Downwinders #CorporateColonialism

OPB · Tribes, environmentalists gather forces against Amazon’s Northwest nuclear planBy Antonio Sierra

#Apple urged to withdraw 'out of control' #AI news alerts

Zoe Kleinman, Liv McMahon and Natalie Sherman, January 7, 2025

"Apple is facing fresh calls to withdraw its controversial artificial intelligence (AI) feature that has generated inaccurate news alerts on its latest iPhones.

"The product is meant to summarise breaking news notifications but has in some instances invented entirely false claims.

"The BBC first complained to the tech giant about its journalism being misrepresented in December but Apple did not respond until Monday this week, when it said it was working to clarify that summaries were AI-generated.

"Alan Rusbridger, the former editor of the Guardian, told the BBC Apple needed to go further and pull a product he said was 'clearly not ready.'

"Mr Rusbridger, who also sits on #Meta's Oversight Board that reviews appeals of the company's content moderation decisions, added the technology was 'out of control' and posed a considerable misinformation risk."

bbc.com/news/articles/cge93de2
#DisinformationIntelligence #NoNukesForAI #AISucks

www.bbc.comApple urged to withdraw 'out of control' AI news alertsApple has pledged improvements to its news summarising tool, but critics say it is dangerous and needs to be withdrawn.

Another reason to squash the #AIRevolution!

#AI costs American #Renters over $3.6 billion annually, according to new report
Judd Legum
Jan 06, 2025

"The property management software used by many #corporate #landlords, #RealPage, is deploying AI to artificially inflate rental prices in the United States by more than $3.6 billion annually, according to a new report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA).

"RealPage, owned by the private equity firm Thoma Bravo, includes a tool called "AI Revenue Management" that provides recommendations for rental prices based on data from competitors. The feature, according to the CEA, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and class action lawsuits, facilitates 'price coordination.' It allows individual landlords to 'act as if they are a single dominant landlord, and use their collective market power to increase profits by setting higher prices.'"

Read more:
popular.info/p/ai-costs-americ
#FuckAI #AISucks #NoNukesforAI #AffordableHousing #CorporateLandlordsSuck

Popular Information · AI costs American renters over $3.6 billion annually, according to new reportBy Judd Legum

#Ireland embraced #DataCenters that the #AI boom needs. Now they’re consuming too much of its energy

By MATT O’BRIEN
December 19, 2024

CLONDALKIN, Ireland (AP) — "Dozens of massive data centers humming at the outskirts of #Dublin are consuming more electricity than all of the urban homes in Ireland and starting to wear out the warm welcome that brought them here.

"Now, a country that made itself a computing factory for #Amazon, #Google, #Meta, #Microsoft and #TikTok is wondering whether it was all worth it as tech giants look around the world to build even more data centers to fuel the next wave of #ArtificialIntelligence.

"Fears of #RollingBlackouts led Ireland’s grid operator to halt new data centers near Dublin until 2028. These huge buildings and their powerful computers last year consumed 21% of the nation’s electricity, according to official records. No other country has reported a higher burden to the International Energy Agency.

"Not only that, but Ireland is still heavily reliant on burning #FossilFuels to generate electricity, despite a growing number of wind farms sprouting across the countryside. Further data center expansion threatens Ireland’s goals to sharply cut planet-warming emissions.

"Ireland is a 'microcosm of what many countries could be facing over the next decade, particularly with the growth of AI,' said energy researcher Paul Deane of University College Cork."

Read more:
apnews.com/article/ai-data-cen

Because it's already a site polluted by #nuclear? And who cares about the nearby #ColumbiaRiver! It's not like #WaterIsLife or anything like that. smh

Amazon offers $334M for nuclear reactors to be built at Hanford
The small modular reactor could reestablish nuclear power as an alternative energy source, with the Washington-based company as its biggest investor.

By John Stang, CascadePBS.org, Crosscut
Published: December 1, 2024,

columbian.com/news/2024/dec/01

The Columbian · Amazon offers $334M for nuclear reactors to be built at HanfordBy John Stang, CascadePBS.org

#Meta seeks #NuclearPower developers for reactors to start in early 2030s

By Timothy Gardner
December 3, 2024

WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - "Meta said on Tuesday it is seeking proposals from nuclear power developers to help meet its artificial intelligence and environment goals, becoming the latest big tech company to take interest in atomic power amid an expected boom in electricity demand.

"The company wants to add 1 to 4 gigawatts of new U.S. nuclear generation capacity starting in the early 2030s, it said in a release. A typical U.S. nuclear plant has a capacity of about 1 gigawatt."

reuters.com/business/energy/me