Google to build Tennessee nuclear plant to power data centers in the U.S. southeast

Google has announced a partnership with Kairos Power to supply energy to its data centers by 2030 in response to the push for sustainable solutions to the technology’s energy demands. 

Google has partnered with the nuclear technology firm Kairos Power to develop an advanced nuclear power plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The facility is expected to begin supplying electricity to the company’s southeastern U.S. data centers by 2030.

The companies announced the site selection on Monday, describing the project as a critical step toward meeting the surging electricity demands of Big Tech while advancing the use of next-generation nuclear energy.

Google taps Kairos power to build a nuclear plant in Tennessee

The initiative builds on a corporate agreement unveiled last year, under which Google committed to sourcing electricity from multiple small modular reactors (SMRs). The Tennessee plant will be the first such project developed through that agreement.

In total, the deal supports 500 megawatts of advanced nuclear capacity, equivalent to powering about 350,000 homes, to be supplied by California-based Kairos Power.

The facility will operate under a long-term power purchase agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), delivering carbon-free energy to Google data centers in Tennessee and neighboring Alabama.

“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,” Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s global head of data center energy, said.

The Oak Ridge is the first time a U.S. utility has signed a power purchase agreement for “generation IV” nuclear power.

Nuclear power is an option to meet data center demands

Training and operating large-scale AI systems require energy-intensive data centers, which have pushed U.S. power demand to record highs. Google and its peers in the technology sector are therefore searching for reliable, carbon-free power sources that can keep pace with the expansion of artificial intelligence while remaining conscious of climate commitments.

Unlike intermittent renewables such as solar and wind, nuclear reactors can deliver continuous, stable electricity. The Oak Ridge facility is expected to deliver up to 50 gigawatts of power.

Oak Ridge has long been associated with nuclear research, dating back to its role in the Manhattan Project, and continues to serve as a center for U.S. nuclear innovation.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright called the Oak Ridge plant a vital development for both national energy security and the country’s global position in artificial intelligence.

“The deployment of advanced nuclear reactors is essential to U.S. AI dominance and energy leadership,” Wright said. “The Department of Energy has assisted Kairos Power with overcoming technical, operational, and regulatory challenges as a participant in the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, and DOE will continue to help accelerate the next American nuclear renaissance.”

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