The American corporation Google LLC has entered into a corporate agreement with the California company Kairos Power on the supply of electricity generated by small modular reactors (SMR). This is reported in a Google press release.
As part of the agreement, Kairos Power will build six or seven small nuclear reactors commissioned by Google to supply 500 MW of electricity to AI data centers.
The initial stage of work is aimed at the rapid and safe commissioning of the first Kairos Power SMR reactor plant by 2030, followed by additional reactor launches by 2035. In general, the agreement will allow to receive up to 500 MW of carbon-free electricity 24/7 for the US electric grid due to clean and affordable nuclear energy.
The agreement must be approved by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), as well as local regulatory authorities.
The location of Google's new reactors and the financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Since the conclusion of the first corporate agreements on the purchase of electricity from renewable sources, Google has played a key role in promoting clean energy solutions, including the next generation of advanced environmentally friendly technologies.
The agreement is aimed at developing new sources of electricity for the development of AI technologies that provide basic scientific achievements, improve services for enterprises and consumers, and contribute to improving national competitiveness and economic growth.
In 2023, American regulators granted Kairos Power the first permit for the construction of a new type of nuclear reactor in 50 years, and in July 2024, the company began construction of a demonstration reactor in Tennessee, which should be completed in 2027.
The sharp growth of generative AI, as well as the use of cloud storage, has increased the demand for high-tech companies for electricity. In particular, in September 2024, Microsoft signed an agreement to resume work at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, and in March Amazon acquired a nuclear-powered data center in Pennsylvania from Talen Energy.
The new generation of modern nuclear reactors opens up new opportunities to accelerate the deployment of nuclear installations due to a simplified design and reliable safety system. The smaller size and modular design make it possible to reduce construction time, ensure deployment in more locations and make the final implementation of the project more predictable.
Kairos Power is an American engineering company in the technology sector, in particular in the field of advanced reactor technologies, including the Kairos Power high temperature fluoride salt cooled reactor (KP-FHR), which aims to create a clean, affordable and safe energy solution. The headquarters is located in Alameda (California).
Google is an American technology company that specializes in search technologies, artificial intelligence, online advertising, software and consumer electronics. Google products include services such as Gmail, Google Maps, Google Play, Chrome, YouTube, and Android OS. The headquarters is located in the state of California (USA).
