As of October 2024 Microsoft has a market cap of $3.109 Trillion. (Source). So uh, fuck that.
Market cap doesn’t say how much cash they have available. For that, look at cash on hand which publicaly traded companies need to report
MS has about 75B cash on hand, so they could afford this themselves. They will probably argue that it will bring jobs and expertise to the state. Also, it’s a loan, so the interest will generate funding for the state as well.
You’re right that it doesn’t mean cash on hand, but it does indicate they could liquidate some of that or borrow against it themselves.
Yeah Microsoft should take the risk here, not American citizens.
Bingo. They should invest in their own company, they have the money. There’s no reason for taxpayers to play any part in this.
Why when they can get stupid peasants to pay for it?
There’s the actual reason.
If people quit larping propaganda and followed the dollar from it being earned into their pocket to going back into the employer’s pocket… it would a different society.
Agreed, but they will still get it regardless but get fucked if you want healthcare.
Yeah. My instant thought was “get the loan from Microsoft”
No, see that is explicitly not what I agreed with before.
Microsoft buys the plant and Microsoft pays start and maintenance cost.
If it will privately benefit Microsoft they can privately fund it.
It’s a taxpayer loan, so they pay it back, right?
[Smiling Anakin]
Until the loan is forgiven a few later…
Oh so it’s like a PPP loan that Republicans will take out and have forgiven and then complain about student loan debt forgiveness.
What kind of interest is on that loan?
Maybe Micro$oft should pull themselves up by their bootstraps and cut back on the avocado toast…Cunts.
And there it is. I was complaining about subsiding the risk and privatize the profits.
Amazing how first headline was about microsbit needing this…
Now owner needs state aid to provide electric for microshit AI
Ain’t free market capitalism great, wage slaves
U pay for everything
It makes me irate. However it’s not free market capitalism. This is corporate welfare.
indeed but i like to get a rise out of Corpo Democrats (bootlickers) and right wingers (which we really don’t get around here much)
They are seeking a LOAN.
They don’t need a LOAN, they can pay out of POCKET. Also if it DEFAULTS the TAX PAYERS will end up footing the BILL. How much MONEY will MS make off of this? Will they take care of clean up if something bad happens? If it’s a federal loan who provides the money off the bat?
Microsoft may not have that cash at that jurisdiction; any big company with tonnes of cash still often take out loans because it’s cheaper to pay it back that move cash from one jurisdiction than another. If the nuclear power company defaults and Microsoft backs the loan, I’m still guessing Microsoft pays back the loan.
What do you mean when you ask “how much money will Microsoft make out of this?” If they’re taking a risk, in the way our economy is currently organised, they stand to lose and they stand to gain. You do realise most nuclear power stations were state guaranteed private companies right? Are you against the nuclear industry, the way we organise our economy, or Microsoft’s actions specifically?
The risk of nuclear is tiny, but real. That’s the way with all nuclear companies. Why should who runs the plant influence the form in which we support any clean up required if the most terrible thing happens (ps: It won’t, but that’s another matter and one I’m sure you’ll want to debate endlessly about too)?
No I won’t endlessly debate with you, because it’s not a debate. You don’t appear to have issue with this, while I do. You will not change my mind, and I won’t change yours.
Think what happen M$ decided to scrap the new data center, or straight up not buying power from the plant? What if the plant can’t make a profit? Who is going to pay when it defaults? What if there’s a slip up and end up the next Chernobyl? Of course, it’s taxpayer who pay all.
Just get Microsoft to pay for all of it if they want it so badly.
I’m sure the taxpayers will never be on the hook for that loan.
But the job creation!
Ok, so a business loan, no big deal. Oh … what’s this?
If Constellation received a federal loan guarantee, much of the risk attached to the project would be shifted to taxpayers in the event of a default. It also would reduce the borrowing costs needed to finance to the restart. The project still needs to obtain regulatory approvals to move forward and would require intensive safety oversight during and after the restart.
Well that doesn’t sound good, I would like some reassurance. Constellation, what say you?
“Rest assured that to the extent we may seek a loan, Constellation will guarantee full repayment,” the company’s statement said. “Any notion that taxpayers are taking on risk here is fanciful given that any loan will be backstopped by Constellation’s entire $80-billion-plus value.”
Ah good. A company that for sure is going to hold to its word and not shaft the state or tax payers. Great!
Due to the age of the plant, some experts have cautioned that the project may require significant investments in refurbishments and maintenance beyond the period of the restart.
“The $1.6 billion is just the start,” Mark Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, told the New Republic. “Microsoft will be asking for government handouts just like most all other aged nuclear reactor owners have asked in multiple states.”
Super, a for profit company worth 3.11 trillion USD (as of 1:25pm EDT) that just needs government handouts for it’s business based on choices it has made to further its own worth. That sounds great, I’m sure taxpayers will get a return on that investment right? Right??
In September, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro touted thousands of energy jobs that will be created by Constellation’s plans at Three Mile Island. Constellation, which plans to rename the facility the Crane Clean Energy Center, has claimed it will generate about $3 billion in state and federal tax revenue.
OK, so $3 billion minus $1.6 billion equals $1.4 billion, minus whatever Microsoft gets as a handout (likely equal to or more than $1.6 billion) equals potential negative billions? Yay capitalism! I’m so happy that the US is willing to help small businesses like this.
Any notion that taxpayers are taking on risk here is fanciful given that any loan will be backstopped by Constellation’s entire $80-billion-plus value.
Not to worry taxpayers, despite us paying out dividends to equity holders, our $70 billion plus value means this loan is still safe and sound!
Don’t worry taxpayers about us spinning off 90% of our assets to Galaxy Brain Energy, a totally independent and different energy company that we didn’t just pull out of our ass. The loan is still backed by our $7 billion plus value, trust!
So let Microsoft pay to restart it.
I guess it the government gives them the loan then the gov’t gets interest payments, which must help inflation over time. Assuming that they make those payments…
Watch the Netflix documentary about the Three Mile Island accident. Yeah, fuck that shit and keep it shutdown until maximizing profits becomes a lower priority than safety.
Neat. So is Microsoft going to make that loan in cash or…?
Yay more nuclear power for a grid in need.
Boo that it’s hoping federal funds pay for Microsofts powersuck of an AI
The grid isn’t getting the power. It’s all for Microsoft.
Oh even worse. What the actual fuck
I’m not happy about it either but they’re going to build the thing no matter what, at least there’s more nuclear power moving forward.
That’s today’s America, boy
Well, it’ll be putting stain on the grid, more than likely.
How?
How about we give the power company those 1.6 billion to build wind and solar instead? They are much faster to deploy
Ah there’s the squeeze
