Just days after Google announced it would invest in nuclear power to fuel its AI data centers, Amazon has confirmed it is also on board with nuclear power.
The Seattle company has announced a handful of deals and investments focused on small modular reactors (SMRs) in an effort to clean up its energy supply and meet growing energy demand due to the AI boom.
While Amazon remains committed to other clean energy sources, the company said nuclear power is an important part of the mix thanks to its proven reliability.
Amazon is hedging its bets on nuclear power
Matt Garman, CEO of AWS, commented: “Nuclear power is a secure source of carbon-free energy that can support our operations and meet the growing demands of our customers, while helping us make progress toward our Climate Pledge— pledge to achieve carbon neutrality in all our operations. by 2040.”
Garman added: “Our agreements will encourage the construction of new nuclear technologies that will generate energy for decades to come.”
The new agreements include a partnership with Energy Northwest to develop reactors that will generate 320 megawatts in the first phase, with the potential to expand to 960 megawatts – the equivalent of approximately 770,000 homes.
Another deal with Dominion Energy to explore an SMR project in Virginia could bring at least 300 megawatts of power to the region, which is establishing itself as a technology hub and could see demand increase as much as 85% over the next 15 years to rise.
Amazon will also invest in X-energy, a company developing SMR technology, to support more than five gigawatts of nuclear projects.
In addition to the sustainability credentials, Amazon would also like to point out that its projects will support approximately 1,000 temporary construction positions and 100 permanent operational positions for the Energy Northwest Project alone.
This is in addition to the company’s previous announcement to establish a data center facility next to a Talen Energy nuclear power plant for directly delivered carbon-free energy.