X-energy $XE jumped 27% in its Nasdaq debut, closing at $29.20 after opening at $30.11. The move followed an upsized IPO priced at $23 per share, above the marketed $16 to $19 range, with proceeds of about $1.02B as AI-driven power demand pulled nuclear names into public-market focus.
Brent crude fell 9.1% to $90.38 on April 17 after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was open, while the S&P 500 rose 1.2% to a record. On April 18, Iran said control of the strait had reverted to strict military management, and AP reported that UKMTO said IRGC gunboats fired on a tanker.
NVIDIA and Emerald AI said they are working with major energy companies to design AI factories that connect to the grid faster and can also support grid reliability. The plan centers on Vera Rubin DSX, DSX Flex, and Emerald AI's Conductor platform.
NVIDIA and Emerald AI said on March 23, 2026 that they are working with AES, Constellation, Invenergy, NextEra Energy, Nscale Energy & Power, and Vistra on power-flexible AI factories. The concept combines Vera Rubin DSX infrastructure with DSX Flex so AI campuses can connect faster and behave more like grid assets than passive loads.
Meta said on January 9, 2026 that new agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, and Oklo could support up to 6.6 GW of new and existing clean power by 2035. The company tied the effort directly to the energy demands of its growing AI infrastructure, including the Prometheus supercluster in Ohio.
OpenAI and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory announced a public-sector AI pilot focused on permit review for clean energy projects. The program starts in Washington state and aims to reduce timelines from multiple years to under one year.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded to criticism over AI training energy costs by drawing a parallel to human education: becoming intelligent also requires 20 years and all the food energy consumed in that time.
OpenAI and SoftBank Group said they are investing $1 billion in SB Energy, with OpenAI signing a 1.2 GW lease for initial data center buildout. The announcement ties the deal to Stargate and positions SB Energy as both an infrastructure partner and OpenAI customer.
The White House released a January 13, 2026 fact sheet outlining an executive-order framework to accelerate U.S. frontier AI infrastructure. The policy links federal site access to strict conditions on clean power buildout, domestic semiconductor sourcing, grid-upgrade responsibilities, and consumer electricity protections.