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Google is diving into nuclear power to help fuel the future of artificial intelligence. The tech giant has teamed up with a startup called Kairos Power to develop a new type of "mini" nuclear reactor, which could pump 500 megawatts of clean energy into the U.S. power grid within the next decade. This is part of Google’s plan to handle the soaring energy demands brought on by AI while keeping its promise to reduce its carbon footprint.
These small nuclear reactors, known as SMRs, are a big departure from the massive, intimidating reactors most people picture when they think of nuclear power. They’re designed to be smaller, safer, and quicker to build. Google hopes to have the first one up and running by 2030, with more following by 2035. Once they’re operational, these reactors will power local energy grids, giving Google’s data centers a cleaner, more reliable energy source.
What makes these mini reactors interesting is their simplicity. Because of their size, they’re easier to install in more places and need less maintenance than traditional reactors, with the ability to go years without refueling. They’re also designed to be much safer, with fewer parts that could fail and a reduced risk of accidents like the ones we’ve seen in the past.
Google’s decision to embrace this experimental technology is part of a larger trend among tech giants who are scrambling to keep up with rising energy demands. AI-driven data centers are expected to account for a huge chunk of the country’s energy use in the next decade. To avoid relying on fossil fuels, Google sees these mini nuclear reactors as a way to meet its growing power needs without adding to the climate crisis.
This isn’t Google’s only clean energy bet, though. The company has already poured billions into solar, wind, and even advanced geothermal energy. But by investing in these futuristic reactors, Google is showing that nuclear power might just be part of the solution to the energy challenges of the AI age.
[With information from Popular Science]
