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Google is betting big on ‘mini’ nuclear reactors to meet AI requirements

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Google is betting big on 'mini' nuclear reactors to meet AI requirements

Google is officially throwing its weight behind advanced ‘mini’ nuclear reactors in an effort to produce new clean energy to meet the growing demand for AI energy. The company has Tuesday announced an agreement with California-based small nuclear reactor (SMR) startup Kairos Power to order the development of six or seven reactors that could add 500 megawatts of clean energy to the U.S. power grid within the next decade. Google’s buy-in represents the largest investment for the experimental new reactor type from a tech company and could play a key in making so-called next-generation nuclear power commercially viable. The deal is part of a broader embrace of nuclear power by tech giants as they frantically look for ways to fuel their rising energy consumption while trying to stick to their climate goals.

In one blog postGoogle expects the first of the Kairos reactors to come online as early as 2030, while the other six will be operational in 2035. Once up and running, these mini reactors will send power directly to local energy grids, which Google will then tap for use in its data centers. Google did not immediately respond Popular sciences request for comment seeking details on the financial aspects of the agreement or proposed locations for the reactors. The deal still requires approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission before it can move forward.

Why choose small nuclear reactors?

Modern small nuclear reactors, or SMRs, are a departure from the cylinder giants that most people think of when they imagine a nuclear power plant. These ‘mini’ reactors are typically capable of producing only a third of the energy of their larger predecessors. What they may lack in strength, they make up for in availability and accessibility. SMR’s smaller, modular designs allow them to be produced relatively quickly and deployed in a wider variety of locations and environments than traditional nuclear reactors. In theory, SMRs could be designed en masse in one location and then shipped to areas depending on their energy needs. SMRs too reportedly refuel less often. While conventional nuclear power plants require new fuel every year or two, SMRs can last three to seven years without needing to be refilled. Kairos’ specific design uses molten salts of lithium fluoride and beryllium fluoride to cool the reactors instead of water.

Supporters of the SMR say this is also the case inherently safer than conventional nuclear energy. The simpler, smaller-scale design means that SMRs have reactor cores with lower reactor power. That lower power means that supervisors could have more time to respond to incidents or accidents. SMRs generally reduce the total number of valves, lines, cables and other components, which in turn reduces the number of potential defects. All this means that SMR is less likely to cause dramatic, dangerous large-scale meltdowns and system failures, such as those seen at Chernobyl and Fukushima plants. On a practical level, SMRs also require less upfront capital investment to get individual reactors operational, although critics have warned that they may have difficulty scaling in the long term.

Kairos Vice President Jeff Olson said The Google deal importantly demonstrates that there is a clear market for the technology, which could play an important role in efforts to “accelerate the commercialization of advanced nuclear energy.”

“This early commitment from Google provides a strong signal of customer demand, reinforcing Kairos Power’s continued investment in our iterative development approach and commercial manufacturing scale-up,” Olsen added.

The demand for AI energy is driving new investments in nuclear energy

Google made it clear that its decision to invest in advanced nuclear power is directly related to the increased demand for energy due to AI. Some reports suggest that data centers with AI models such as Google’s Gemini could be responsible for more than 9% of the country’s total energy demand by 2030. A Goldman Sachs prediction According to estimates from earlier this year, up to 60% of that additional energy demand could be met by fossil fuels. Google, it has pledged to achieve net zero carbon by 2030hopes that these mini nuclear reactors can help fill this gap, and quickly.

“The electric grid needs new sources of electricity to support AI technologies that will enable major scientific advances, improve service to businesses and customers, and fuel national competitiveness and economic growth,” said Google Senior Director for Energy and Climate Michael Terrell, in a statement.

“This agreement helps accelerate a new technology to meet energy needs cleanly and reliably and unlock the full potential of AI for all,” Terrell added.

The deal comes just weeks after Microsoft announced its own 20-year deal to bring Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear power plant back online. While both Google and Microsoft broadly express their support for nuclear power, they have both decided to put their reputations and deep pockets behind sometimes opposing approaches. While Microsoft has opted to revive conventional nuclear power, Google hopes it can launch a much less tested but potentially more available new alternative.

But Google isn’t putting all its eggs in one nuclear basket. In his statement, Terell said the company is investing in a “broad portfolio of advanced clean electricity technologies to power our global data centers and offices.” So far, that portfolio includes billions of dollars in investments in solar and wind farms. Google is also taking a chance on newer, more experimental energy sources such as advanced geothermal energy.

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