Google Goes Nuclear: Small Modular Reactors to Power AI Data Centers

Updated [March 2025]: This post was originally published in October 2024. We've added new insights and the latest information to keep it relevant.

Google has made a historic move by signing a major partnership with American startup, Kairos Power, to build a series of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). This strategic decision comes as AI-driven data centers demand increasingly massive amounts of electricity, and Google aims to meet these needs without increasing its carbon footprint.

Why is Google Going Nuclear?

Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries, but its energy footprint is staggering. AI models, especially large ones powering services like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, require enormous amounts of energy-intensive computing. A single AI-driven search can consume ten times the energy of a traditional search, making sustainability a key concern for tech companies.

Google and Kairos Power: What’s the Plan?

By 2035, seven SMRs are expected to be operational across the United States, with the first reactor going live by 2030. These reactors will collectively generate 500 megawatts (MW) of clean, reliable energy for Google’s AI data centers, setting a new standard for tech companies aiming to reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining the massive electricity consumption needed to drive AI development.

According to Michael Terrell, Google’s senior director for energy and climate:

This agreement accelerates the adoption of new technologies to meet growing energy needs sustainably. The grid needs new electricity sources to support AI technologies that are powering major scientific advances and driving national competitiveness.

Google is not alone in turning to nuclear power:

This move follows similar energy strategies by other tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, who have also turned to nuclear power to meet their growing energy needs. In fact, Microsoft recently signed a historic 20-year nuclear power deal with Constellation Energy, including reviving the Three Mile Island nuclear plant solely to power AI processing. 

Amazon purchased a nuclear-powered data center in Pennsylvania earlier this year.

What Makes SMRs Different?

Unlike traditional nuclear plants that take decades to build and cost billions, SMRs are smaller, cheaper, and faster to deploy. They are designed to be assembled in factories rather than constructed on-site, significantly reducing costs and delays.

Google's SMRs will use molten fluoride salt cooling technology, an advancement over conventional water-cooled reactors. This system enhances efficiency and safety while supporting 24/7 carbon-free power production.

Challenges and Concerns

Despite being marketed as clean energy, SMRs still produce nuclear waste—and some studies suggest they increase waste production by 2 to 30 times compared to traditional reactors.

Moreover, nuclear projects face regulatory hurdles. While Kairos Power is at the forefront of SMR development, no SMRs are currently operational in the United States, and only one design has received full regulatory approval.

What This Means for the Future of AI

The rise of AI and cloud computing has put a strain on global power grids. Experts warn that current energy infrastructure may struggle to keep up with Big Tech’s soaring demands. Governments and energy companies must scale up energy production while balancing sustainability concerns.

While nuclear power is virtually carbon-free and offers a consistent energy source, critics continue to raise concerns about the production of long-lasting radioactive waste and the risks associated with nuclear energy. However, for the tech industry, the promise of SMRs lies in their ability to support the explosive growth of AI and cloud storage without the environmental impact of fossil fuels.

Google’s deal with Kairos Power marks a turning point for how tech companies approach energy sustainability. If successful, this nuclear-powered AI model could become a blueprint for other technology giants looking to expand AI while minimizing environmental impact.

As the world watches this historic collaboration between Google and Kairos Power, one thing is clear: the future of AI is inextricably linked to the future of clean, reliable energy—and nuclear power may just be the key to unlocking it.

Will nuclear SMRs be the long-term solution, or will concerns over waste and regulation slow their adoption?

The world will be watching.