Google has entered into an agreement with Kairos Power to utilize small nuclear reactors to power its AI data centers. The first reactor is expected to be operational by the end of this decade, with more planned by 2035. However, details about the financial terms and specific locations for the reactors remain undisclosed.
“The grid needs new electricity sources to support AI technologies,” said Michael Terrell, senior director for energy and climate at Google. “This agreement helps accelerate a new technology to meet energy needs cleanly and reliably, and unlock the full potential of AI for everyone.”
According to Kairos Power executive Jeff Olson, the deal is aimed at demonstrating the viability of advanced nuclear energy solutions, which are seen as crucial to decarbonizing power grids. The agreement is still subject to approval by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other local agencies before any construction can begin.
Kairos Power, a California-based startup, received the first permit in 50 years to build a new type of nuclear reactor last year. The company specializes in smaller reactors cooled by molten fluoride salt instead of water, which is traditionally used in nuclear plants. They have already begun constructing a demonstration reactor in Tennessee.
Nuclear energy, virtually carbon-free and capable of providing continuous electricity, has become increasingly attractive to tech companies as they seek to reduce emissions while meeting growing energy demands. Global data center energy consumption is expected to more than double by the end of the decade, according to Goldman Sachs.
Google’s deal with Kairos follows similar moves by tech giants. Microsoft recently reached an agreement to restart operations at the Three Mile Island plant, and Amazon announced its plans to purchase a nuclear-powered data center in Pennsylvania. According to Somnath Kansabanik of Rystad Energy, Google’s partnership represents another significant step in the tech industry’s shift toward nuclear energy.
