New York, Jan 11, 2026, 09:45 EST — Market closed.
Shares of Meta Platforms (META.O) closed Friday roughly 1.1% higher following the announcement that the Facebook parent company secured nuclear energy agreements to ensure long-term power for its U.S. sites, including a major data center expansion in Ohio.
Why this matters now: power has shifted from a footnote to a key bottleneck as Big Tech ramps up spending on data centers. Investors are weighing if these long-term energy contracts pave the way for growth or simply heap on extra costs and execution risks.
The timing couldn’t be more awkward. Rate expectations are shifting once more, and growth stocks like Meta remain sensitive to bond yields—even when the main story involves nuclear reactors.
Vistra disclosed a filing revealing it inked 20-year power purchase agreements—long-term deals to supply electricity—committing 2,609 megawatts of carbon-free power and capacity from its PJM nuclear plants to Meta. Deliveries should kick off in late 2026, with full output expected by the close of 2027. Planned “uprates,” which increase output at existing plants, will continue through the end of 2034. SEC
TerraPower announced a deal with Meta to build up to eight Natrium advanced nuclear plants. The company said these plants could deliver as much as 2.8 gigawatts of baseload power — consistent, 24/7 output — complemented by energy storage to boost peak capacity. TerraPower CEO Chris Levesque described the move as backing “rapid deployment” during the 2030s. Meta’s Urvi Parekh emphasized the goal of securing “reliable, scalable, and clean power.” TerraPower
Oklo announced that Meta has agreed to support the development of a 1.2-gigawatt “power campus” in Pike County, Ohio, using a structure that allows Meta to prepay for power to help finance early stages. Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte called Meta’s backing “a major step in moving advanced nuclear forward.” The company aims to complete the first phase as soon as 2030. Oklo
Friday saw the broader market maintain a risk-on stance, with the S&P 500 hitting a new high as investors picked their spots within the AI sector. Zachary Hill, head of portfolio management at Horizon Investments, noted that investors are “getting granular” on AI and edging “closer to the monetization phase.” Shares of power generator Vistra surged 10.5% following its deal with Meta. Reuters
Meta faces fresh regulatory hurdles in Europe. A European Commission spokesperson indicated WhatsApp might be labeled a “very large” platform under the EU’s Digital Services Act because of its Channels feature, after user numbers exceeded the law’s limits. Violations can lead to fines as steep as 6% of global annual revenue. Reuters
For Meta shareholders, the immediate picture remains the same: ad prices, user engagement, and the pace of cost growth compared to revenue. The nuclear deals are part of the spending blueprint, but their benefits will show up over years, not quarters.
There is a downside risk. Output upgrades and new reactor projects might hit delays due to permitting, supply chain issues, or financing challenges. Long timelines risk becoming open-ended commitments. At the same time, regulators in Brussels could turn a technical designation into a thorny compliance battle.
Meta’s investor events calendar hasn’t pinned down a date for its next earnings release, leaving the next major company-specific catalyst up in the air.
Traders are gearing up for Tuesday’s U.S. Consumer Price Index report for December, due at 8:30 a.m. ET. This inflation data often sways expectations around rate cuts and can ripple through Big Tech valuations. Producer inflation figures drop the following day.
