Artificial intelligence has sent a demand for electric sky in the United States after many years of practically zero growth. It has sent large -tech companies to rotate their data centers to secure the grading production capacity.
For many people, it means To refer to the nuclear fusion. After decades of plant closure, the source of power has been facing a rehabilitation in the past few years. – By attracting investorsUntil its use has to generate more electricity.)
For tech companies, a part of the appeal of appeal is a stable, forecast source that flows 24/7, which gives their data centers the ability to operate the computing load whenever they need.
But another part of the appeal is in the new reactor designs that promise to overcome the shortcomings of existing nuclear power plants. While old power plants were largely built around the reactors that can generate more than 1 gigwatts of electricity, the new small modular reactor (SMR) designs see more than one module deployed together to meet a range of needs.
SMRs rely on large -scale manufacturing to reduce costs, but to date, no one has still made one in the US, which does not maintain AmazonFor, for, for,. GoogleFor, for, for,. MethodAnd Microsoft Far from the table, they have signed or invested contracts to buy electricity from the beginning of the nuclear start – or both.
Here are the nuclear -firm startups that support the Big Tech.
Keros Power
Keros Power Google received a vote from Google when search giant Promised to buy About 500 MW of electricity by 2035, the first reactor was targeted online by 2030.
The company’s small modular reactors rely on molten fluoride salt for cooling and move the heat to the steam turbine. The high boiling point of salt means that the collagen does not need to be kept at high pressure, which should improve operating safety. Reactors contain carbon and ceramic shells coated fuel pebbles, which should be so strong to fight melting.
Startup is found in Almeida 29 629 million The US government award, which includes $ 303 million from the Department of Energy. In November 2024, Keros received approval From the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to start construction on two reactors in Tennessee. In 35 MW, the test unit will be smaller than the final commercial reactors of Keros, which is expected to produce 75 MW.
Okay hey
Okay hey Is there another SMR company targeting the data center world – no surprise that it was supported by Openi CEO Sam Altman, who also Nuclear Startup Taken Public In July 2023, the attainment of its special purpose by the vehicle, through the Altc, through the integration. Ultman served as the chairman of Oklo until April, when he began talks with Oklo for an energy supply agreement. DCVC, Draper Associates, and Peter Thale are among the former investors of Matheel Capital Management Startup.
Cool, Oklo’s reactor is based on a current US Department of Energy Design, which aims to reduce the amount of nuclear waste that results in regular operations. Nevertheless, Oklo’s path has not been smooth. Of the company First license request Denied in January 2022. Oklo has said that it will be re -submitted to the request at some time in 2025. But it has not stopped the company Agree To supply data center operator switch with 12 GW by 2044.
Salt foss
Like Keros, Salt fossWhich was previously known as Sebourg, also wants to create a cool SMR that is cooled through molten salt. But unlike Keros and others, it is imagined that two to eight of them are on the ship so that they can create what they call the power seed. Startup has raised about $ 60 million, including Million 6 million seed round, including Bill Gates, Peter Thale, and Unity’s co -founder investment. David HelgsonAccording to the pitch book. Satlfoss has a contract with the Samsung Heavy Industries to build ships and SATLFOSS -designed reactors.
Terrapur
Established by Bill Gates, Terrapur Making a large reactor, called nitrium, which is cool by liquid sodium and has molten salt energy storage.
The company broke the base of the first power plant in Woming in June 2024. The reactor has been demanded to generate 345 megawatts of electricity in the Natem design. It is smaller than today’s other new nuclear plants but is mostly larger than SMR designs.
But Netrium has its sleeve trick with its molten salt heat storage system. Since the nuclear reactors do the best in a stable state, so when demand is low, the Netramers can continue to break the atoms, and the extra energy is stored as heat in a vAT of molten salt, which can be prepared to generate electricity later.
Investors include Gates’ Cascoid Investment Fund, Khosla Ventures, CRV, and Arsenalmatel.
X Energy
X Energy Heavy descended Million 700 million Series C-1 Last year, headed by Amazon’s climate fund. At the same time, SMR startup announced two development contracts, which will show the deployment of 300 MW of new nuclear at the Pacific and Virginia.
The company’s high temperature, gas -filled reactors have given rise to recent trends in the United States and Europe, where the design has been eliminated in favor of other methods. The company’s XE-100 reactor is expected to generate 80 MW of electricity. Helium gas reactor’s 200,000 bullard hair -shaped fuel flows from “pebbles”, which absorbs the heat to rotate the steam turbine.