Google is set to support the construction of seven small modular nuclear reactors in the United States, marking a groundbreaking venture aimed at meeting the increasing energy demands of its AI initiatives.
On October 14, Google announced its commitment to purchase power generated by these reactors from Kairos Power, a startup in the nuclear sector. The agreement outlines a plan to add 500 megawatts (MW) of nuclear power by the end of the decade, facilitating Kairos’s first commercial reactor to be operational by 2030, with additional reactors expected by 2035.
This landmark agreement lays the groundwork for the commercialization of small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S., a technology many consider to be the future of the nuclear energy industry. By building multiple smaller reactors instead of large nuclear power plants, this approach aims to accelerate construction timelines and reduce costs.
Terry, Google’s senior vice president of energy and climate, highlighted the critical role that nuclear energy plays in fulfilling Google’s clean energy objectives. “To achieve our goal of around-the-clock clean energy, we believe it’s essential to have technologies that can complement wind, solar, and lithium-ion storage,” he stated.
When asked whether these reactors would supply energy to the grid or connect directly to data centers, Terry mentioned that Google is considering various options.
Neither company disclosed the financial details of the agreement or specified whether Google would fund the construction of the SMRs, opting instead to purchase the generated electricity once the reactors are operational.
The future of the nuclear energy sector increasingly intertwines with major technology firms. Last month, Microsoft announced a commitment to purchase power for 20 years from the Three Mile Island facility, contingent on Constellation Energy’s ability to restart the plant. Earlier this year, Amazon acquired a data center adjacent to a nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, highlighting the growing interest among tech companies in nuclear power as a mid-term solution to meet their data center energy needs with low-carbon electricity.
Google’s partnership with Kairos marks the first collaboration of its kind among tech giants pledging to assist in nuclear plant construction. In the past two decades, the U.S. has only brought three nuclear reactors online. While approximately 20% of electricity in the U.S. is generated from nuclear power, high costs and lengthy construction timelines have stalled major new projects.
Based in Alameda, California, Kairos Power has developed a reactor design that utilizes molten fluoride salt as a coolant, replacing traditional water systems. The company received construction approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission last December to build a 50 MW demonstration reactor in Tennessee, which is expected to commence operations by 2027.
