Google and Kairos Power are partnering to site a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR), with the intention of powering Google's data centers in Oak Ridge, Tennessee by 2030. Kairos is constructing the evolved reactor that will provide up to 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity under long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The reactor won't directly supply power to Google, but feed the grid with electricity, while Google will purchase an equivalent amount of clean energy credits to offset their uses in their data centers in Tennessee and Alabama.

This PPA, a groundbreaking purpose of this PPA is to achieve the first utility procurement of Generation IV nuclear power in the U.S., especially as it represents new safety levels and environmental advancements with reactor technologies. This broader agreement, announced in 2024, is designed to allow Google and Kairos to develop up to 500 MW of advanced nuclear capacity, equal to approximately 350,000 homes.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright emphasized the importance of the deal, noting that deploying advanced nuclear reactors is a key part of America's aspirations to lead in AI and be a leader in global energy, with support from the Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. There are no commercially operating advanced nuclear plants in the U.S. today, so this deal could act as a catalyst for a larger nuclear renaissance.

In short, the deal represents a major step in not only decarbonizing Google's heavy energy demand but also deploying next generation nuclear energy infrastructure in the U.S.