Commercial

Amazon Doubles Down on Nuclear Deployment

By Rachael Zisk
Share
Image: Amazon

The world’s biggest data companies are only getting bigger, and with that growth comes a need for energy that becomes more urgent with each passing month.

Big tech is looking at many energy sources to meet its growing needs, but it’s clear from all angles that nuclear power will be essential to filling the gap with carbon-free power. Amazon has already hung its hat on large-scale nuclear power for one data center, and now it’s all in on accelerating nuclear deployment for this new era of data processing.

The data giant announced yesterday three major steps to back nuclear development:

  1. An agreement with Energy Northwest in Washington State to build four SMRs, developed by X-energy, and generate at least 320 MW of energy beginning in the early 2030s
  2. A ~$500M strategic investment in X-energy
  3. An MoU with Dominion Energy in Virginia to explore an SMR project colocated at an existing nuclear power plant, adding 300+ MW of new capacity

“One of the fastest ways to address climate change is by transitioning our society to carbon-free energy sources, and nuclear energy is both carbon-free and able to scale—which is why it’s an important area of investment for Amazon,” AWS CEO Matt Garman said in a release.

X marks the spot: X-energy is developing its Xe-100 small reactor to run on a proprietary fuel called TRISO-X, which it will manufacture to ensure a reliable, lasting fuel supply. Its first reactor deployment in Texas is supported by the DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, which is helping de-risk the new tech ahead of commercial deployment.

“Amazon and X-energy are poised to define the future of advanced nuclear energy in the commercial marketplace,” X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell said in a release.

Everything the light touches: Dominion Energy, Virginia’s largest utility company, is pursuing every form of green power it can get its hands on. On Tuesday, the company announced that it plans to add 21.1 GW of new clean energy capacity over the next 15 years, with 1,340 MW of that coming from nuclear power. Amazon’s support in deploying SMRs will help Dominion stay on budget and reassure future customers and funders on price.

+ posts

Lead Reporter of Ignition

Share
Return Home
Related Stories
Commercial • Fusion

Google Goes for Fusion With CFS

Watch out, world—Big Tech is making another move toward fusion power, and this time, it’s buying future power output. Google has signed the first formal offtake agreement for fusion power in the US with Commonwealth Fusion Systems. The expanded partnership is twofold: The companies declined to share financial details on a press call, including the […]

Commercial

A Change in the Talen and Amazon Deal

Big Tech is checking every nook and cranny for energy that can fuel a rapid and massive expansion of data centers. Nuclear has become a major part of that hunt, to the benefit of both traditional and advanced nuclear providers. But while one of the biggest deals between a nuclear operator and a hyperscaler has […]

Commercial

The IEA Tallies Energy Investment, and Nuclear Ranks High

Nuclear power is playing in the big leagues when it comes to attracting capital around the world. Each year, the International Energy Agency (IEA), an independent intergovernmental organization formed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), counts up the dollars flowing into energy globally. This year, nuclear energy technologies are expected to pull […]

Commercial

Meta Teams With Constellation to Keep a Plant Running for AI

Why build a whole new nuclear power plant when you’ve got a perfectly good one already running? That’s the motivation behind a deal between data giant Meta and energy utility Constellation. This week, Meta agreed to a 20-year power purchase agreement for the entire output of the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois beginning in […]