Google Presses Nuclear Button, Seals a Deal with Kairos to Power AI Data Centres

Google on Monday signed a deal with Kairos Power to build small nuclear reactors to power its artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. The agreement is the first of its kind corporate deal in the world that aims to the meet power demand of AI data centres through clean energy. According to the deal, the technology giant will buy nearly 500 MW of nuclear power from six to seven reactors. Additionally, the first nuclear reactor will be built by Kairos Power by 2030, and the rest are likely to be developed by 2035. 

“We feel like nuclear can play an important role in helping to meet our demand...cleanly in a way that’s more around the clock,” Michael Terrell told Reuters. Terrell is a senior director for energy and climate at Google. 

Currently, Google’s plan hasn’t received the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s nod to proceed with the project. 

Nuclear power reactors do not produce direct carbon dioxide emissions. With the growing energy needs of the tech industry, nuclear energy is becoming an attractive option for industry as it is eyeing ways to reduce emissions. According to Goldman Sachs, global energy consumption by data centres is expected to more than double by the end of the decade. 

Tech Moguls are Turning to Nuclear Power as Energy Demand Surges 

Google isn’t the first company to turn to nuclear power; last month, Microsoft made a deal to restart America’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant to supply nuclear energy to its increasing data centres for AI. The nuclear plant became a centre of attention in 1979 due to a partial meltdown at its unit 2 reactor. The plan, with nearly $1.6 billion, is likely to restart unit 1 by 2028 to meet demands of data centres in the region. 

Earlier in March this year, Amazon announced that the company’s cloud computing unit purchased a nuclear-powered data centre in Pennsylvania from a power producer company, Talen Energy. Amazon’s web services have paid around $650 million for the plant in Pennsylvania. 

“To supplement our wind and solar energy projects, which depend on weather conditions to generate energy, we’re also exploring new innovations and technologies and investing in other sources of clean, carbon-free energy,” said Amazon in a statement.