Nuclear startups attract millions to power UK AI

Investors are aggressively backing UK nuclear startups to meet soaring energy demands from AI datacenters, with $370 million injected into the sector, including $170 million in 2024 alone. Key players like Tokamak Energy and Blue Energy are drawing institutional capital, with 83 private nuclear startups now operating across the UK. However, critics warn nuclear's long lead times make it a poor match for AI's immediate energy needs. Fusion power remains at least a decade away, and even small modular reactors are still in development, raising questions about whether nuclear can realistically address the urgent power crunch.