Google taps nuclear power to fuel AI boom in Oak Ridge move

Google, in partnership with Kairos Power, has announced the selection of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as the site for an advanced small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) that will power the tech giant’s rapidly expanding data centre operations in the southeastern United States from 2030.

The groundbreaking project marks the first deployment under Google’s corporate initiative to secure 500 megawatts of clean nuclear energy from small modular reactors, enough to power approximately 350,000 homes.

With demand for electricity surging due to the rise of generative AI and data-intensive computing, the announcement signals a bold shift towards next-generation nuclear energy as a solution to the tech industry’s escalating energy footprint.

The 50-gigawatt SMR plant will be constructed by Kairos Power, a California-based nuclear innovator.

It will operate under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The plant will supply electricity to Google’s data centres in Tennessee and Alabama.

It is the first-ever PPA signed by a US utility for a Generation IV nuclear technology, which is praised for its safety, sustainability and efficiency.

Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s Global Head of Data Centre Energy, highlighted the strategic importance of the deal:

“This collaboration with TVA, Kairos Power and the Oak Ridge community will accelerate the deployment of innovative nuclear technologies and help support the needs of our growing digital economy, while also bringing firm carbon-free energy to the electricity system,” she stated.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright described the announcement as a milestone for both the technology and energy sectors:

He said: “The deployment of advanced nuclear reactors is essential to US AI dominance and energy leadership. The Department of Energy will continue to help accelerate the next American nuclear renaissance.”