
Google Turns to Nuclear Power for AI Data Centers
Technology giant Google has decided to use small nuclear reactors to meet the energy needs of its artificial intelligence data centers. In this context, the company signed an important agreement with Kairos Power, a company specialized in nuclear energy. The agreement foresees that the first reactor will be operational by 2030, and the others by 2035.
Neither company has provided any details on the cost of the deal or the exact locations where the nuclear power plants will be built. Google’s energy and climate director Michael Terrell said that new sources of electricity are needed to sustainably support AI technologies. “This agreement allows us to accelerate new technologies to meet energy needs in a clean and reliable way, making the potential of AI accessible to everyone,” Terrell said.
Kairos Power is a company that specializes in developing more compact reactors that, unlike traditional nuclear power plants, use molten fluoride salt instead of water for cooling. Last year, American authorities granted Kairos the permit, paving the way for the construction of a nuclear reactor with the new technology after 50 years. The company began work on a prototype reactor in Tennessee in July.
It is also stated that the reactors to be built under the agreement between Google and Kairos Power will need to be approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and local authorities. Technology companies prefer nuclear energy to meet the energy needs of their artificial intelligence data centers. Nuclear power plants stand out in this regard with their low carbon emissions and 24-hour uninterrupted electricity generation capacity.
Microsoft signed a deal in September to restart operations at the Three Mile Island power plant, site of America’s worst nuclear accident in 1979. Amazon also announced in March that it would buy a nuclear-powered data center in Pennsylvania.
“Google’s collaboration with Kairos Power represents another important step towards embracing nuclear energy,” said Somnath Kansabanik of research firm Rystad Energy.