- Google seeks fuel the cloud hosting needs with nuclear energy
- Tennessee emerging as a center for nuclear experimentation in bold
- Data centers boost clean energy demand and nuclear exploration
Google has entered into a collaboration with Kairos Power and the authority of the Tennessee Valley (TVA) to support the development of a small modular nuclear reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee to feed its expansion of infrastuction.
The company announced that the Hermes 2 installation is expected to start operating in 2030 and generate up to 50 megawatts of electricity for the TVA network.
This will help promote Google data centers in Tennessee and Alabama, which are fundamental to the company’s growing needs for cloud housing, cloud storage and AI tools.
Advanced Nuclear Energy Association Model
The agreement takes the form of an energy purchase agreement, in which TVA will buy electricity from Kairos Power and will deliver the attributes of clean energy to Google.
The partners describe this as the first purchase of electricity from an IV generation reactor by an American utility.
While the project provides only a fraction of the 500 megawatts that Google has outlined as a longer term objective, it is framed as a proof of concept of how public service companies, technology companies and developers could share costs and risks in future implementations.
Unlike solar energy and wind, which depend on climatic conditions, nuclear energy can provide continuous energy.
“Nuclear is the basis of the future of energy security. Google intervenes and helps to assume the load of the cost and risk of the first nuclear projects in its kind … It is not only good for Google. It is good for the 10 million TVA customers. It is good for the United States,” said Don Moul, CEO of TVA.
However, nuclear construction has historically faced delays and excesses of costs, which raises questions about whether this new generation of reactors will really offer an affordable and reliable power at scale.
The project is also presented as a way of promoting economic activity in Oak Ridge, a city linked for a long time to nuclear research and development.
Training programs are being planned with the University of Tennessee and other local institutions to prepare workers for technical roles at the Hermes 2 plant.
While the initiative promises highly paid jobs and a renewed investment, critics may ask if the dependence on experimental nuclear designs is the most effective strategy compared to the expansion of the proven renewable generation.
However, this development has attracted the interest and comments of industry experts, government and political agencies.
“To feed the future, we need to increase the availability of intelligent and firm energy sources … This collaboration with TVA, Kairos Power and the Oak Ridge community will accelerate the deployment of innovative nuclear technologies.” Said Amanda Peterson Corio, global energy chief of the Google Data Center.
“This collaboration is an important facilitator for advanced nuclear energy to be commercially competitive,” said Mike Laufer, CEO and Kairos Power co -founder.
“The legacy of Tennessee nuclear innovation positions the voluntary state to lead the United States energy domain and boost continuous economic growth with safe, clean and reliable nuclear energy,” Governor Bill Lee said.
