Google Partners with Nuclear Startup to Fuel AI Data Centers with Clean Energy

Google Partners with Kairos Power for Small Nuclear Reactors to Power AI Initiatives

Google is leveraging nuclear energy to meet the growing demands of artificial intelligence. On Monday, the tech giant announced its partnership with startup Kairos Power to develop seven small modular reactors (SMRs) across the United States. This collaboration aims to introduce 500 megawatts of nuclear power by the end of the decade, with the first reactor expected to commence operations by 2030 and others following by 2035.

This agreement marks the first corporate purchase of electricity generated from SMRs. Unlike traditional reactors, small modular reactors are compact and their components are manufactured in factories, significantly reducing construction costs associated with larger facilities.

For this initiative to proceed, Kairos Power must obtain design and construction permits from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The startup has already secured approval for a demonstration reactor in Tennessee, which aims to be operational by 2027. Additionally, they are constructing test units at their facility in Albuquerque, NM, to optimize their systems and supply chain.

While the financial specifics of the agreement remain undisclosed, Google emphasizes that the structure of the deal will facilitate cost reduction and expedite the energy deployment. "By procuring electricity from multiple reactors—what experts call an ‘orderbook’ of reactors—we will help accelerate the repeated deployments essential for cost reduction and expediting Kairos Power’s technology to market," said Michael Terrell, Google's senior director for energy and climate, in a blog post. He highlighted that this initiative is part of Google's broader strategy to expand the benefits of advanced technologies to more communities.

The surge in AI development and the substantial energy demands of data centers have prompted several partnerships between major tech companies and the nuclear sector. Recently, Microsoft reached an agreement with Constellation Energy to reactivate a unit of the Three Mile Island plant, while Amazon has also invested in a nuclear-powered data center from Talen Energy.