TerraPower plans a nuclear-powered AI data center project

In short: TerraPower says it plans to announce its first nuclear-powered data center project this year, aiming to meet AI data centers’ fast-changing electricity needs.

What happened

TerraPower, a nuclear startup founded by Bill Gates, plans to announce its first project focused on powering a data center later this year, Bloomberg reported. TerraPower has not named the customer.

The project is expected to start construction in 2027. It would be TerraPower’s second power plant. The company’s first plant is already being built in Wyoming.

TerraPower’s pitch is that its Natrium reactor can handle the way data centers use electricity. A data center is a large building full of computers. AI work can make its power use jump up and down quickly, like turning many space heaters on and off at once.

Why it matters

Many power plants do not like fast swings in demand. Nuclear plants usually run best at steady, high output, but data centers can be unpredictable. TerraPower’s design tries to solve this by storing extra heat in a large tank of molten sodium (a hot liquid metal), then using that stored heat to make extra electricity when demand suddenly rises. Think of it like keeping a thermal “battery” of heat, so the reactor can keep running steadily while the power sent out can change faster.

If it works as planned, this could make it easier for companies to power AI systems without relying as much on large battery banks or natural gas plants that can wear out under constant stop and start use.

Source: TechCrunch AI