Initiative aims to build three high-capacity plants to power data centers and strengthen the country's energy matrix
The United States is about to take a strategic leap forward in energy generation with the construction of three new nuclear power plants, the result of a partnership between Google and the startup Elementl Power. The project aims to ensure the country's energy security in the face of advances in artificial intelligence and the growing demand for clean and reliable sources.
US strengthens its energy infrastructure with support from Google
The search for robust and sustainable energy solutions has gained new momentum in the US. Elementl Power, a US startup founded in 2022, has announced an ambitious plan to build three nuclear power plants advanced in North American territory, with financial support from Google. According to the New York Post, each unit will have a minimum capacity of 600 megawatts and will be able to supply critical operations, such as data centers focused on artificial intelligence.
This move puts the US at the forefront of a new cycle of investment in nuclear energy, reinforcing the role of the private sector as a driver of the national energy infrastructure.
-
Tritium is the fuel that can make nuclear fusion possible, but its extreme scarcity, just 20 kg per year, threatens the advancement of one of the most promising technologies of the century.
-
The Brazil-Germany nuclear deal: the plan that almost gave Brazil an atomic bomb
-
New life for Chernobyl: Study gives Ukraine green light to resume farming on 20 abandoned hectares near exclusion zone
-
Radioactive vacuum cleaner found in silo sealed since 1970 at complex nuclear operation at Sellafield plant
US legislation favors nuclear resumption
According to AP News, more than 25 US states have already passed specific legislation to facilitate the advancement of next-generation nuclear energy. The initiative involving Google and Elementl comes in this favorable political context, being another piece in the puzzle of expanding the US energy matrix without compromising decarbonization goals.
With more than 200 nuclear-related bills moving through Congress and state legislatures, the United States has demonstrated a clear willingness to place nuclear technology at the center of its XNUMXst century energy strategy.
US and the role of Big Tech in the future of energy
This partnership between the technology sector and the energy sector is not isolated. In addition to Google, other US giants as Microsoft and Amazon have stepped up their bets on nuclear energy to meet the growing demand for their cloud-based and AI-based services. This trend consolidates the role of Big Techs as influential players in the country's energy configuration, going beyond consumption to directly shape supply sources.
According to Financial Times, Google has also signed an agreement with Kairos Power to purchase power from small modular reactors, which are expected to be operational by 2030.
Although it is not technically a source renewable, Nuclear energy is widely recognized as a low-carbon solution. Organizations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) include nuclear energy in energy transition strategies, alongside solar and wind energy. Its main advantage is its ability to generate large volumes of clean energy continuously, without depending on variables such as wind or sun, which makes it an important ally in the fight against climate change.
Nuclear power capacity to grow by 2035 in the US with Google as partner
Elementl Power aims to add more than 10 gigawatts of nuclear capacity to the US power grid. EUA by 2035, contributing to the stability of the electrical system in the face of extreme weather events and demand fluctuations. As highlighted by the World Nuclear News, the company declares itself “technology agnostic”, which indicates openness to applying different reactor models as the market evolves.
Alongside a partner like Google, the startup increases its chances of turning these plans into reality in the medium term, elevating the US to a strategic position in the race for clean and continuous energy solutions.