Google Partners with Kairos Power to Harness Nuclear Energy for Data Centers

Google and Kairos Power announce their collaborative agreement to explore nuclear power as a solution to Google’s growing energy demands of its data centers, driven primarily by the expansion of AI technologies. With AI applications consuming significant amounts of electricity, Google is seeking reliable, low-carbon power sources to meet this surge.

Google and Kairos Power signed a Master Plant Development Agreement to create a path to deploy nuclear powered facilities totaling 500 MW by 2035. According to the agreement, Kairos power will be responsible for developing, constructing, and operating their advanced reactor plants while selling the created energy to Google under the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

“Our partnership with Google will enable Kairos Power to quickly advance down the learning curve as we drive toward cost and schedule certainty for our commercial product,” said Mike Laufer, Kairos Power CEO and co-founder. “By coming alongside in the development phase, Google is more than just a customer. They are a partner who deeply understands our innovative approach and the potential it can deliver.”

Kairos Power

Founded in 2016, Kairos Power is headquartered in Alameda, California, and its mission is to reduce the cost of nuclear energy to make it competitive with other energy sources, contributing to a clean energy future.

The company's primary project is the development of a novel nuclear reactor using fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology. This design uses a molten fluoride salt as a coolant and aims to offer a more efficient and safer alternative to traditional water-cooled reactors.

Meeting Energy Needs

This move aligns with broader trends in the tech industry, where companies like Microsoft and Amazon are also pursuing nuclear power as a key resource. Google is working with utility partners to assess nuclear energy solutions, particularly in markets where it cannot directly purchase energy.

The partnership between Google and Kairos is part of Google's efforts to secure an “around-the-clock” energy supply, essential for sustaining its long-term growth in AI and data operations.

Nuclear power is becoming an attractive option for tech giants because it provides a stable, carbon-free energy supply, which is critical as AI continues to drive massive energy consumption increases.

You can read the full press release from Kairos Power here.