The AI-Nuclear Alliance: Google and TVA Partner to Power Data Centers with Next-Gen Reactors
Google, Kairos Power, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a federal energy corporation, have entered into an agreement to supply nuclear energy for data centers in the United States. The deal forms part of a broader strategy among technology giants to secure reliable sources of clean energy capable of meeting the surging demand for computing power driven by the rise of artificial intelligence.
Kairos Power is constructing a 50-megawatt reactor in Tennessee that will feed energy into TVA’s grid. TVA, in turn, supplies electricity to Google’s data centers in Alabama and Tennessee. Although no direct deliveries to Google are planned, the company will receive attribution certificates verifying that an equivalent volume of clean energy has been added to the power system, offsetting the consumption of natural gas and other fossil fuels.
This agreement makes TVA the first American company prepared to purchase electricity from a fourth-generation reactor, a technology that promises greater fuel efficiency and reduced waste compared with traditional nuclear power plants.
The interest of IT giants in nuclear energy is steadily growing. Amazon, Meta*, and Microsoft have already signed their own contracts in the sector. Just last week, data center operator Equinix announced an agreement to purchase 500 megawatts from Oklo and placed an order for 20 reactors from Radiant Nuclear.
Kairos Power CEO Mike Laufer emphasized that the partnership with Google and TVA is “critical to making advanced nuclear technologies commercially competitive.”
The company is developing small modular reactors (SMRs), each producing under 300 megawatts. These reactors can be manufactured on an assembly line and transported to installation sites. Its new facility, Hermes 2, which employs molten fluoride salts as a coolant, received construction approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in November 2024.
The Hermes project is backed by the U.S. Department of Energy, which is investing approximately $300 million through the Advanced Reactor Demonstration program. This initiative is part of a national effort to accelerate the deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies, particularly significant given that only three reactors have been commissioned in the United States over the past two decades.
The agreement with Google marks the first step in Kairos Power’s plan to supply up to 500 megawatts of capacity. The company aims to bring its first commercial reactor online by 2030, with additional units expected by 2035.
According to Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s Head of Energy Programs for Data Centers, the partnership will not only meet the needs of the digital economy but also reinforce the grid with “firm, carbon-free generation.”
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