Google partners with Kairos for small modular reactor deal to power AI data centres

Google has signed a world-first corporate deal to buy nuclear energy from small modular reactors (SMRs) to power its global data centres and meet the surging demands of artificial intelligence (AI).

The technology giant has agreed to buy 500 megawatts (MW) of energy from US-based Kairos Power, which is currently building a 35MW demonstration reactor in Tennessee with a target completion date of 2027.

Google hopes the deal will provide a carbon-free solution to feed US electricity grids and supply its power-hungry AI data centres and offices.

SMR fleet

Under the terms of the agreement, Kairos will be responsible for developing, constructing and operating a fleet of advanced SMRs for Google.

The first of these reactors – which will be strategically located to supply clean electricity directly to Google’s data centres – is due to come online by 2030, followed by additional deployments through 2035.

Kairos will also provide Google with energy, ancillary services and environmental attributes through power purchase agreements.

Massive energy use

AI relies on data centres to fuel its technology, with each search entered into tools such as ChatGPT consuming about ten times the energy of a standard browser search due to the number of calculations required.

“Nuclear reactors offer a clean, round-the-clock power source that can help us reliably meet electricity demands with carbon-free energy every hour of every day,” the company said.

“Advancing these power sources in close partnership with supportive local communities will rapidly drive the decarbonisation of electricity grids around the world.”

Nuclear start-ups

Kairos is part of a new breed of nuclear start-ups building SMRs to lower the cost and speed the construction of nuclear power plants.

Most nuclear plants are massive installations supplying 1,000MW or more and can take years to plan and up to a decade to build.

SMR start-ups are attempting to build these plants faster and cheaper by using mass production techniques to bring down costs and speed up construction.

There are currently no SMRs online in the US and only one design belonging to another company has received full regulatory approval to date.

Clean electricity

Google’s agreement with Kairos is believed to be part of its efforts to develop and commercialise a portfolio of advanced clean electricity technologies.

“This approach will complement our use of variable renewables like solar and wind and help us reach our ambitious 24/7 carbon-free energy and net-zero goals,” the company said.

“The next generation of advanced nuclear reactors offers a new pathway to accelerate nuclear deployment thanks to their simplified design, smaller size, reduced construction times and robust, inherent safety.”

Microsoft deal

Google is not the only US technology player to adopt nuclear in a bid to accelerate the nation’s transition to clean energy.

Microsoft signed a historic 20-year nuclear power deal with Constellation Energy last month to fuel its data centres.

Constellation owns the infamous Three Mile Island nuclear plant and announced a $1.6 billion plan to restart part of the operation solely for Microsoft’s needs, reportedly the first time a single customer has agreed to buy a nuclear plant’s entire output.

Companies including OpenAI and Amazon Web Services are also believed to be looking at nuclear power to meet forecast AI demand.