Amazon bets on nuclear energy with strategic atomic deals

The online retail pioneer Amazon has recently signed three groundbreaking agreements for the development of nuclear power projects. This places the company among the ranks of Big Tech firms that are increasingly turning to nuclear solutions in response to the growing energy demands driven by artificial intelligence. Amazon is partnering with the utility company Energy Northwest and developer X-Energy to construct several small modular reactors (SMRs) in the region. Additionally, a partnership has been established with Dominion Energy at another site in Virginia to also build an SMR there and enhance the local power supply. “Nuclear energy is a safe, carbon-free power source that can support our operations and meet the growing demands of our customers, while we continue to fulfill our climate pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2040,” stated Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, upon announcing the deals. The shift towards carbon-free energy sources is considered one of the fastest ways to fight climate change and is crucial for Amazon’s future investments. These initiatives promise to promote the establishment of new nuclear technologies that will provide energy for decades. This week, Amazon becomes the second major US tech company to join the ranks of those investing in nuclear energy. Previously, Google announced on Monday that it had entered into an agreement with Kairos Power to introduce a small modular reactor by 2030, with further projects planned by 2035. The demand for clean and round-the-clock available energy, driven by artificial intelligence, is leading more tech companies to embrace nuclear power as a solution. As early as March, Amazon acquired a nuclear-powered data center from Talen Energy. Moreover, Microsoft entered into a collaboration with Constellation Energy last month to revive a unit of the defunct Three Mile Island power plant in Pennsylvania. Estimates from Goldman Sachs predict that the energy demand of US data centers will triple by 2030, requiring an additional capacity of 47 gigawatts. This capacity is expected to be met primarily through natural gas, wind, and solar energy.