Google signs a deal to access nuclear power for its future AI servers

Google has just announced a new agreement to power some of its future AI servers with nuclear power. However, the deal involves the use of a new type of nuclear power plant that will be designed to be different than the familiar large reactors with huge cooling towers.

In a blog post, Google announced it will purchase and use power generated by a number of small nuclear reactors that are currently under development by Kairos Power. This the first time Google has made such an energy agreement for accessing nuclear power. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The blog post offers some details of how Kairos Power's nuclear reactors have been designed:

Kairos Power’s technology uses a molten-salt cooling system, combined with a ceramic, pebble-type fuel, to efficiently transport heat to a steam turbine to generate power. This passively safe system allows the reactor to operate at low pressure, enabling a simpler more affordable nuclear reactor design.

Kairos will develop a number of demonstrations of its nuclear reactor hardware before it officially launches its first full power plant. Google says that the first such plant should go online in 2030, and additional plants will become operational through 2035.

Google says that ultimately, these smaller and modular nuclear plants from Kairos will generate 500 MW of energy. It will be put to use, in part, to power Google's AI servers.

Just a few weeks ago, Microsoft announced an agreement with Constellation Energy to use energy from the former Three Mile Island nuclear plant to power its own AI servers. The reactor is expected to come back online sometime in 2028.

Microsoft also announced earlier this year it had reached an agreement with Helion Energy to use power that would come from a nuclear fusion reactor. That is also expected to come online sometime in 2028.

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