Google has taken a significant step towards solving the increasing energy needs of artificial intelligence and data centers by joining hands with nuclear developer Elementl Power to support the early-stage development of three advanced nuclear power sites. The agreement is another milestone in the tech industry’s growing engagement with the nuclear industry to ensure reliable and sustainable sources of power.
Although the financial terms of the deal are not disclosed, Google has invested capital for the initial development work, which includes permitting, securing interconnection rights, and preparing contracts. Each proposed site is expected to produce not less than 600 megawatts of electricity. Google will also be able to buy power from the sites once they are operational. The locations of the projects are confidential.
Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s global head of data center energy, emphasized the need for reliable, 24/7 energy in the era of AI. “Our partnership with Elemental Power increases our capacity to move at the speed necessary to capture this moment of AI and American innovation,” she said.
Elemental Power was established in 2022 and has not built any facilities yet and is currently technology agnostic, which means that it will use the most advanced reactor technology available at the time of construction. The company plans to add 10 gigawatts of nuclear power to the grid by 2035.
Chris Colbert, CEO of Elementl and a former NuScale Power executive, stressed that such partnerships are critical for capital mobilization and net-zero targets. After the projects are ready for full-scale development, more funds will be sought from infrastructure investors.
This is a step after Google’s October partnership with Kairos Power and is part of a larger trend in tech where firms such as Amazon and Nvidia are still looking for steady, large-scale energy sources to fuel AI-driven innovation. Experts estimate that 50 gigawatts of new capacity may be required by 2027 alone.
