Microsoft has joined the World Nuclear Association (WNA), a London-based international non-profit organization.

According to the WNA, its membership is responsible for around 70 percent of the world’s nuclear power, in addition to most of the world’s uranium conversion and enrichment production.

“Microsoft’s membership with the association is a game-changing moment for our industry,” said Dr Sama Bilbao y León, director general of World Nuclear Association. “When one of the world’s most innovative technology companies recognizes nuclear energy as essential to their carbon-negative future, it sends a powerful signal to markets, policymakers, and industry leaders worldwide. This partnership will accelerate nuclear deployment at the scale needed to meet both climate goals and the growth in energy demand from data centers.”

Founded back in 2001, the WNA aims to foster collaboration across the entire nuclear energy value chain. Its primary areas of cooperation include supporting advanced nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors, advocating for streamlined licensing processes, and strengthening global nuclear supply chains. Its members include CEZ, Constellation Energy, EDF, GE Vernova, Iberdrola, Oklo, and PG&E, among others.

Microsoft’s involvement will be led by its energy technology team, which will work directly with the WNA’s technical working groups to accelerate nuclear deployment, streamline regulatory processes, and develop new commercial models that can scale nuclear energy to meet the demands of the digital economy.

“Microsoft’s entry into World Nuclear Association’s membership reflects the strategic moment that our industry is working in as we work to meet our carbon-free energy goals,” said Dr Melissa Lott, who heads Microsoft’s Energy Technology team. “When you combine Microsoft’s technological capabilities with the nuclear industry’s proven track record of delivering reliable, carbon-free baseload power, you create the foundation for unprecedented innovation in carbon-free energy technology deployment.”

Microsoft has already made several notable commitments to the nuclear sector, viewing it as a crucial energy source to power its expanding data center portfolio.

Last year, it became one of the first hyperscalers to sign an agreement to offtake power directly from a nuclear power plant. Last September, the company signed an agreement with Constellation Energy to offtake the entire capacity of the revived Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. The 837MW reactor is expected to be operational in 2028, with Microsoft signing a 20-year contract to receive power.

The company has also backed the nuclear fusion company Helion, becoming the first to sign a Power Purchase Agreement with a fusion company in May 2023. Under the terms of the contract, Microsoft has committed to offtake up to 50MW of capacity, with supply expected to commence in 2028.