Google signed a deal to use a small modular nuclear reactor to power their artificial intelligence (AI) data center. This modular nuclear reactor is being developed by Kairos Power and it will start operations in 2030. By 2035, these reactors will supply 500 MW of power with zero carbon emissions.
High energy requirements for data centers, especially those running Google's AI services, caused the company to fail to meet targets to make operations more sustainable last year. The use of cleaner nuclear energy is expected to put Google back on track to make their operations net-zero by 2030.
Google is not the only company to start using nuclear power to meet data center needs. Last month the Three Mile Island nuclear power station located in Pennsylvania was restarted to generate the electricity Microsoft needed. The station closed in 2019 due to unprofitability. This power station was the site of a near reactor meltdown in 1979 which is to date the most serious incident involving nuclear power in the United States.