The term "Nuclear Earthquake" in energy history refers to a massive, symbolic shift that occurred between 2024 and 2025. It isn't a physical disaster, but rather a "tectonic" reversal in global policy and technology.

The three primary "shocks" of this earthquake are:

1. The Thorium Discovery in China (Dec 2025)

In late 2025, China announced the discovery of over 1 million tons of thorium at the Bayan Obo complex.

* The Scale: This is enough to power China for an estimated 60,000 years.

* The Impact: Thorium is safer than uranium, produces less waste, and cannot easily be used for weapons. This discovery effectively crowned China as the future superpower of "Next-Gen" nuclear energy.

2. The "Resurrection" of Three Mile Island

For the first time in history, a decommissioned nuclear plant—the site of the most famous U.S. nuclear accident—is being restarted.

* The Deal: In a landmark agreement, Microsoft contracted the entire output of Three Mile Island to power its AI data centers.

* The Significance: It signaled that the demand for AI computing power has become so great that society is willing to revive controversial 20th-century plants to meet it.

3. Record-Breaking Generation

In 2024, the world produced 2,667 TWh of nuclear electricity, officially breaking the all-time record set in 2006.

* The Reversal: For 15 years after the Fukushima disaster, nuclear was in decline. By 2025, that trend has "shattered," with over 70 reactors under construction and nations like Italy and South Korea reversing their nuclear bans.

Comparison: Old vs. New Nuclear

| Feature | Old School (Uranium) | Next-Gen (Thorium/SMRs) |

|---|---|---|

| Fuel | Scarce Uranium-235 | Abundant Thorium/Recycled Waste |

| Risk | High-pressure meltdown risk | Low-pressure Molten Salt (Self-cooling) |

| Waste | Stays radioactive for 10,000+ years | Stays radioactive for ~300 years |

| Scale | Massive "Mega-projects" | Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) |

Would you like to know more about how Thorium reactors actually work, or why Microsoft specifically chose nuclear over solar for their AI needs?