Google, Kairos Power, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have come together to deliver 50 megawatts of nuclear energy to data centers in Tennessee and Alabama.
The companies believe this partnership will help address the increasing energy demands in the U.S. while promoting advancements in next-generation nuclear energy technologies.
Through this arrangement, the Kairos Hermes 2 plant located in Oak Ridge will provide up to 50 megawatts to the TVA grid, which, interestingly enough, powers Google facilities.
This marks a significant milestone as the TVA becomes the first utility to source power from a Generation IV reactor.
Moreover, this initiative represents the initial deployment of the Hermes 2 plant under Kairos’ ambitious plan with Google to eventually supply 500 megawatts by 2035.
Kairos aims to increase the Hermes 2’s output from its current 28 megawatts to 50 megawatts starting in 2030.
In October, Google had already inked a deal with Kairos to acquire nuclear energy from various small modular reactors still under development.
Kairos Power mentioned that from 2030, these reactors would be strategically placed to ensure clean energy supply to Google’s data centers.
This week, Google confirmed that the reactor would energize facilities in Montgomery County, Tennessee, and Jackson County, Alabama.
As Google noted, “This next step brings together three parties to foster new technologies that will assist energy customers, utilities, and tech developers in meeting the escalating energy demands globally, with reliable and economical solutions.”
The collaboration emphasizes the procurement of clean energy attributes from the facility via TVA, thereby enhancing the local data centers’ reliance on clean energy daily.
The energy requirements of Big Tech’s data centers, particularly those driven by generative AI, are notably high.
This surging energy demand has pushed U.S. power usage to unprecedented levels and is increasing the need for advanced nuclear technologies.
Ultimately, this partnership will contribute toward achieving a nuclear power capacity of 500 megawatts.
Interestingly, Google isn’t the only tech giant focused on nuclear energy. Last year, Microsoft entered a 20-year power purchase agreement for reactor Unit 1 on a three-mile island in Pennsylvania. Additionally, in October, Amazon secured nuclear-centered agreements with Energy Northwest, X-Energy, and Dominion Energy.
Reports from Gridstrategies predict a 15.8% rise in U.S. electricity demand by 2029, largely fuelled by data centers, manufacturing, and electrification.
The International Energy Agency anticipates that power consumption for data centers will increase by 130% between 2024 and 2030.
