Google has announced a deal with the startup company Kairos Power for the construction of 7 small nuclear reactors in the United States in order to supply power to its data centers.
The agreement aims to add 500 megawatts of nuclear power from Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by the end of the current decade, with the first reactor expected to start operating by 2030, and the rest to follow suit by 2035.
This is the first deal of its kind where a company is using small reactors for nuclear power, which are characterized by their smaller size compared to traditional reactors, as well as the ability to manufacture their components in factories rather than on-site construction, reducing construction costs compared to traditional nuclear plants.
Kairos Power needs approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to design and build the planned reactors and obtain permits for them.
The company has already received approval to build a demonstration reactor in Tennessee, set to be operational by 2027, and owns a development facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico where tests are being carried out on reactor supply chain components and systems without using nuclear fuel.
Financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed, but Google has confirmed that the deal structure will help reduce costs and accelerate the delivery of power to the electricity grid.
The increasing reliance on artificial intelligence and the massive energy consumption it requires in data centers has led many tech giants to collaborate with the nuclear energy sector.
Microsoft signed a deal with Constellation Energy to restart a unit at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, while Amazon acquired a nuclear data center from Talen Energy in March.
