Amazon announces investment in small nuclear reactors to meet data center power demand

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Amazon on Wednesday said that it was investing in small nuclear reactors, coming just two days after a similar announcement by Google, as both tech giants seek new sources of carbon-free electricity to meet surging demand from data centers and artificial intelligence.

Alexa St. John And Jennifer Mcdermott, The Canadian PressAfter years out of favour, nuclear power is ramping up again around the world, including Canada. Amanda Lang speaks with John Gorman, the head of the Canadian Nuclear Association, and Jeff Binns with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization for an update on what is driving the demand, and what the plans are to handle the relatively small amount of waste it will produce.

“AI is driving a significant increase in the amount of data centers and power that are required on the grid,” Kevin Miller, Amazon Web Services’ vice president of global data centers, told The Associated Press, adding: “We view advanced new nuclear capacity as really key and essential.” If new, clean power isn’t added as data centers are developed, the U.S. runs the risk of “browning the grid,” or including more power that isn’t made from clean sources, said Kathryn Huff, a former U.S. assistant secretary for nuclear energy who is now an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The news highlights “the technologies that we’re going to need to achieve round the clock clean energy, not only for Google but for the world,” Michael Terrell, Google’s senior director of energy and climate, told the AP.

 

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