Why nuclear, why now
AI training clusters need 24/7 carbon-free baseload power at unprecedented scale. A single AI-focused data center now demands ~80 MW, up from ~32 MW for a standard facility. Electricity costs have risen 42% since 2019; PJM capacity prices have spiked nearly tenfold, with data centers driving $9.33B in added capacity costs. Source: Informed Clearly
Nuclear offers what intermittent renewables cannot: a capacity factor above 90%, dense fuel, zero operational carbon, and decades-long asset life — the load profile AI workloads demand. Hyperscalers are now not just buying power; they are underwriting the construction of new reactors. Source: ROC Telecom Insights
Deal by deal
| Buyer | Project | Capacity | Timeline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Crane Clean Energy Center (TMI Unit 1 restart) | 835 MW | 2027 | Under construction |
| Kairos Power fleet (KP-FHR) | 500 MW | 2030–2035 | Signed | |
| Amazon | X-energy / Energy Northwest Cascade | 960 MW | 2030s | Signed |
| Amazon | Talen / Susquehanna campus + PPA | 1,920 MW | Near-term, phased | Signed |
| Meta | Vistra (Perry, Davis-Besse + uprates) | 2.1 GW + 433 MW | Immediate | Signed |
| Meta | TerraPower Natrium fleet | 2.8–4.0 GW | 2032–2035 | Planned |
| Meta | Oklo Aurora campus (Ohio) | 1.2 GW | 2030 | Planned |
| Others | Mixed / unnamed operators | 70 MW | — | Signed |
Sources: SMRIntel · Informed Clearly · ROC Telecom · Carnegie Endowment
Two waves, one strategy
Wave 1 — existing reactors now. Microsoft’s Three Mile Island restart delivers the first nuclear electrons to AI around 2027; Amazon’s Susquehanna campus and Meta’s Vistra agreements lock in immediate firm power. These deals keep AI buildout moving while SMRs scale. Source: ROC Telecom
Wave 2 — SMR fleets for the 2030s. Google’s Kairos 500 MW fleet, Amazon’s X-energy 960 MW (up to 12 units), Meta’s TerraPower + Oklo 4–5.2 GW — hyperscalers are co-developing and underwriting new reactor technology to guarantee long-term supply. Source: SMRIntel · Informed Clearly
Key constraints
- Licensing. Most SMR capacity (Kairos, TerraPower, Oklo, X-energy) is planned for 2030–2035; regulatory pace is the critical path.
- Fuel. HALEU availability gates SMR deployment — see the supply chain tracker.
- Grid / transmission. Behind-the-meter and co-location models (Susquehanna) bypass queues but create new interconnection and ownership questions.
- Cost. First-of-a-kind SMRs are expensive; unit economics only improve with fleet replication.
For power vendors & advertisers
This is the exact market SMRPowers.com serves: SMR vendors, fuel suppliers, EPC firms, cooling and power-electronics companies, hyperscaler energy teams. Banner and sponsorship slots reach the people making these decisions.
Sources: SMRIntel · Informed Clearly (May 2026) · Informed Clearly (Jun 2026) · ROC Telecom · Carnegie Endowment