Amazon signed an agreement with X-energy and American Electric Power to fund the building of a nuclear plant in Indiana. The proposed facility aims to provide up to 960 megawatts of carbon-free energy for the regional power grid and Amazon data centers, replacing the defunct Breed Generating Station.
Key takeaways
- Amazon is partnering with X-energy and American Electric Power on the Indiana project.
- The facility aims to deliver up to 960 megawatts of carbon-free energy.
- The project plans to use 12 Xe-100 advanced small modular reactors.
- Amazon and X-energy share a goal of deploying over 5 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2039.
Why is Amazon building a nuclear plant in Indiana?
The Verge reports that the company wants to power both the regional power grid and its data centers with carbon-free energy. The new facility will replace the coal-fueled Breed Generating Station in Fairbanks, Sullivan County. The site targets the construction of 12 Xe-100 SMRs, which are advanced and unproven reactors still undergoing development and licensing.
These reactors can use air, water, or a hybrid cooling solution. According to Amazon, this flexibility allows deployment in water-constrained regions without hurting local water supplies. No construction timeline or financial terms have been shared yet for the Indiana site.
Amazon nuclear energy and tech industry trends
Amazon is joined by other tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, and Google in exploring nuclear projects to power AI data centers. This initiative represents the second collaboration between Amazon and X-energy. Last October, Amazon previewed its first planned nuclear facility, the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility in Washington, which also plans for 12 advanced reactors.
What happens next?
Both companies are working toward a collective goal of deploying more than 5 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity across the US by 2039. The Indiana project could yield 1,000 construction jobs and 100 permanent roles, though no construction timeline exists. Grid infrastructure investments were also highlighted in an Amazon blog post earlier this month to address negativity around data center projects, but the benefits remain years away.
Frequently asked questions
Amazon is collaborating with X-energy and American Electric Power to fund the new nuclear facility in Indiana.
The proposed facility aims to provide up to 960 megawatts of carbon-free energy for the regional grid and Amazon data centers.
The facility is targeting the construction of 12 Xe-100 SMRs, which are advanced reactors currently undergoing development and licensing.
The new nuclear plant is planned to replace the now defunct coal-fueled Breed Generating Station located in Fairbanks, Sullivan County.
Amazon and X-energy share a goal of working with regional utilities to deploy more than 5 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity in the US by 2039.
Based on reporting by The Verge. Read the original article
