Chapter 712 333: Prometheus

Shortly after Ethan left, the intercom on the desk rang. His secretary announced that his guests had arrived.

"Let them in," Leo said.

The office door was pushed open once again.

Sterling, the Vice Chairman of the National Energy Association, walked in first.

Following Sterling were two new faces.

On the left was Brad, the Global Vice President of Google Cloud. On the right was Andrew, the Regional Director for Microsoft Azure.

The three men sat down on the sofa across from Leo.

"Mayor Wallace," Sterling began, getting straight to the point. "The preliminary preparations for the Computing Power Special Zone are complete. The land has been leveled, the main fiber optic network trunk lines are laid, and our partners are ready to begin large-scale construction of data centers."

Brad opened the laptop he had brought with him.

"Mr. Mayor, we plan to build three hyperscale AI computing clusters in the Allegheny Mountains," Brad said, displaying the plan. "Each cluster will be equipped with one hundred thousand of the most advanced graphics processing units. We will train the next generation of large language models here, which will bring thousands of high-end engineering jobs and a massive influx of capital to Pennsylvania."

Andrew also opened his briefcase and took out a stack of technical specifications.

"Microsoft also plans to establish a core cloud computing node here. We are very optimistic about this land's potential. This place will become the next Silicon Valley."

Leo listened quietly.

He knew they hadn't come all the way to Pittsburgh just to report good news.

"Just say it. What obstacle have you run into?" Leo said.

Brad and Andrew exchanged a look.

"Power," Brad said.

Brad pulled up another chart—a projected power consumption curve.

"AI servers consume an enormous amount of electricity. When our three computing clusters are running at full capacity, they will require a power supply of at least one gigawatt. Moreover, that power supply must be absolutely stable."

"The servers need to run twenty-four hours a day without interruption. Any minor voltage fluctuation or brief power outage will cause the entire training process to fail, resulting in tens of millions of US Dollars in losses."

Andrew picked up the conversation.

"Wind and solar power are completely incapable of meeting these requirements. They are limited by weather and time, making their output extremely unstable. Current battery storage technology is too expensive, and its capacity is insufficient to support such a massive system."

Sterling chimed in at the right moment.

"Mayor, the Energy Association can provide the power, but the tech companies have strict Environmental, Social, and Governance metrics. They refuse to use coal-fired or traditional natural gas power plants to run these AI servers."

"They need zero-carbon clean energy. Otherwise, they will face a major public relations crisis and a ratings downgrade in the capital markets."

Leo looked at the three men.

They needed a massive, stable supply of baseload power, yet they also demanded absolute zero-carbon emissions.

Under current technological and physical constraints, the answer was obvious.

"You want nuclear power," Leo stated.

"Exactly," Sterling nodded. "Pennsylvania has the old site of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant. It has an existing cooling water source and power transmission network. We plan to restart the decommissioned reactors there."

The room fell silent.

Leo was well aware of how sensitive the issue of nuclear power was in the American political climate.

It was a massive political minefield.

Environmental organizations view nuclear energy as a monstrous threat. Any proposal to build or restart a nuclear power plant would be met with their fiercest protests.

At the federal level, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has an incredibly convoluted approval process, involving countless hearings, environmental impact assessments, and safety reviews.

These men had come here to dump this huge problem in his lap.

"You want me to handle the Federal Government and the environmental groups," Leo stated the fact.

"We've made all the necessary preparations on the business and technical fronts," Brad said. "But this isn't just about our companies. We need you to go to Washington and also speak with the federal Department of Energy. We need a federal loan."

"Are you short on cash?" Leo scrutinized the titans before him. "Would a few billion US dollars affect your cash flow?"

Andrew took over, his tone cautious.

"Mr. Mayor, this isn't just about the money. It's also a form of political insurance."

"If we used only our own capital, it would be a purely commercial venture. But in a highly sensitive field like nuclear energy, the risks of a purely commercial venture are devastating."

"Today's Federal Government might support us, but who can guarantee that tomorrow's administration won't suddenly turn on us under pressure from environmental groups?"

"Once the policy changes and our project is forcibly shut down, the tens of billions we've invested will be a total loss."

Andrew looked directly at Leo.

"We need to create a community of shared interests. If the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office provides a federal loan of over a billion US dollars for this project, then this project becomes a national endeavor."

"Its success or failure will be directly tied to the performance of the Secretary of Energy and the legacy of the current President."

Sterling added, "More importantly, restarting a nuclear plant involves the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's extremely cumbersome approval process. Environmental assessments, local hearings, safety reviews—each step can drag on for years."

"But if the government is our creditor, they'll be more eager than we are to clear these obstacles, because they don't want this massive loan to become bad debt."

"Furthermore, both the Inflation Reduction Act and the Chip Bill contain huge subsidies and loan quotas for clean energy. These resources are limited. We're applying for this loan to claim these resources and prevent potential competitors from getting this money."

"Securing a federal loan is tantamount to passing a national-level due diligence. It also sends a strong signal to Wall Street: this is a project backed by the nation, and it will not be allowed to fail."

"This gives us enormous leverage when procuring nuclear fuel and hiring top talent."

Brad spoke again, pointing out the biggest hidden danger in the nuclear industry.

"The biggest headaches with nuclear power plants are actually nuclear waste disposal and potential accident liabilities. If a purely private project has an accident, the government usually imposes astronomical fines. A severe incident could bankrupt the company outright."

"But if it's a national energy security project supported by government loans, the government tends to be more inclined to use administrative measures to coordinate and grant exemptions when handling such crises."

Leo completely understood the logic these capitalists were describing.

Using your own money meant fighting alone. Taking the government's money made it a national project.

'This is a defensive investment.'

Roosevelt's voice echoed in Leo's mind.

'By taking a loan, they transform the government from a regulator into a partner. This gives them a powerful political backer when facing Union strikes, local protests, or lawsuits from environmental groups.'

'Over the twenty- or even forty-year lifecycle of a nuclear power project, this is indeed the only way to ensure the project can smoothly navigate multiple administrations.'

Leo stood up.

The next step after industrial revival was industrial upgrading.

Relying solely on traditional steel and machinery manufacturing was not enough to build an absolute competitive advantage in this era.

Computing power was the core resource of the future.

Whoever controlled the largest computing centers would control the future.

To keep these tech giants here, to allow Pennsylvania to truly complete its transformation, he had to solve the energy problem.

Nuclear power was an unavoidable necessity.

If he didn't tackle this tough challenge, the Computing Power Special Zone would forever remain a plan on paper.

He faced the three men on the sofa.

Leo knew he had countless reasons to refuse.

He could say it was a federal matter and that he, a mere local mayor, had no authority to interfere.

He could say the environmental risks were too great and would infuriate his Progressive allies.

He could even say it was outside his scope of responsibility and pass the buck to the Governor or a Congressman.

If he were just a shrewd politician, he would definitely do so.

But he was not a politician.

He thought of the lights burning all night at the Inland Port construction site, of the workers who had taken up their wrenches and welding torches once more, of the families eagerly awaiting their next paycheck.

He had given them hope, telling them that Pennsylvania would become the center of the world.

If all this came to a screeching halt because of the energy issue, if the flames of revival were extinguished because he shirked his responsibility, then he would be the biggest fraud of all.

A statesman isn't someone who reaps applause when the sailing is smooth, but someone who dares to grip the helm tightly when the storm arrives.

"I'll take it on," Leo said, his tone decisive.

Relief washed over the faces of Sterling, Brad, and Andrew simultaneously.

"Go back and prepare all the technical application materials and proof of funds. I will then establish a special office for nuclear development to coordinate all administrative approval processes within the state of Pennsylvania."

"I will have all state-level permits issued within three months."

Leo walked back to his desk.

He sat in his chair, his gaze passing through the window and into the distance.

He seemed to see a figure from mythology.

Prometheus, who defied the gods to bring fire to humanity, enduring the agony of having his liver devoured by a giant eagle.

Now, he too had to go and steal fire.

He was going to Washington, to that temple filled with antiquated rules and tangled interests, to seize the fire of a new era.

Nuclear energy.

Not just electricity, but the fuel to ignite the future.

Leo pressed the intercom button, connecting to Ethan.

"Ethan, prepare for a trip."

"We're going to Washington."

"To bring that fire back to Pennsylvania."