9.23.2024

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Three Mile Island to Restart

A Pennsylvania power plant home to the worst nuclear accident in US history will be restarted by early 2028, according to reports. The lone undamaged reactor at Three Mile Island plant will fuel the rapidly growing AI efforts by Microsoft, which signed a 20-year power-purchasing agreement with Constellation Energy.

In 1979, the plant’s second reactor suffered a partial nuclear meltdown after a coolant loop failed, causing the reactor core to overheat (see overview). No injuries or deaths were caused by the incident, though a small amount of radioactive gas and iodine was released into the atmosphere. No public health effects were identified, and the first reactor—the one to be restarted—continued to operate until 2019 before being shut down due to cost. 

Energy-intensive generative AI applications are expected to consume 1.5% of global electricity generation by 2029. 

See a deep dive into the power and water demands of AI here.

French Government Unveiled 

French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled his new cabinet over the weekend, revealing an administration with a number of centrists and conservatives in key posts. The makeup marks a distinct shift toward the right for the center-left Macron, who is seeking to break through a political impasse following summer elections in which a left-wing alliance led in seats but failed to gain an outright majority (see previous write-up). 

The news comes roughly two weeks after Macron appointed center-right lawmaker Michel Barnier (see other postings). Notably, the lineup left out any representatives from the party of leading opposition figure Marine Le Pen, despite the group finishing with the second-most parliamentary seats. 

France faces a number of domestic challenges, including a total federal debt load that stands at more than $3.3T, or 110% of the country's gross domestic product—a violation of the European Union's guideline of 60% and the EU's third-highest behind Greece and Italy. 

Israel-Lebanon Escalation

Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah exchanged hundreds of cross-border missile and rocket attacks Sunday, with leaders signaling the nearly yearlong conflict has entered a new stage.

The escalation in the conflict—initiated by Lebanon in October in support of Hamas in Gaza—comes after Israel is suspected of detonating thousands of mobile communications devices across Lebanon and launched a direct strike Friday in Beirut, killing 45 people, including a Hezbollah commander. In response, Hezbollah launched several direct hits in the coastal city of Haifa amid a barrage of 115 missiles. At least four projectiles were also intercepted from Iran-backed militias in Iraq. 

Israeli officials say the attacks will continue until Israelis can return to the border near Lebanon. Lebanon has claimed its attacks on Israel will stop once the war in Gaza ends—a scenario reports claim is less likely before 2025. New reports also suggest Israel may soon deploy siege tactics in northern Gaza. 

Separately, Israeli troops shut down news outlet Al Jazeera in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank Sunday.

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