TerraPower nuclear reactor targets AI data center power
Bill Gates-backed TerraPower plans to announce its first data center project in 2026, leveraging a molten salt energy storage system.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Bill Gates-backed TerraPower plans to announce its first data center project in 2026.
- The 345-megawatt Natrium reactor utilizes a molten sodium thermal storage system.
- Reactors run at peak capacity while tapping thermal reservoirs during demand spikes.
Nuclear power startups are increasingly pitching themselves as the reliable power source needed to sustain artificial intelligence data centers. Among them, Bill Gates-founded TerraPower is preparing to announce its first data center project this year, according to recent reports.
Although the data center project is expected to break ground in 2027 and serve as the company's second power plant following its initial construction in Wyoming, TerraPower has not yet disclosed its first customer. This follows an announcement in January regarding an agreement with Meta to purchase eight Natrium power plants.
Traditional nuclear reactors operate most efficiently when running at full tilt, boasting the highest capacity factor among power generation technologies, operating at maximum power 92.5% of the time in the United States. However, existing reactors ramp up and down slowly, adjusting only about 5% of their total rated output per minute, according to the National Laboratory of the Rockies.
While newer small modular reactors targeted by various startups can react faster at roughly 10% per minute, operating at reduced capacity undermines profitability due to the massive capital expenditures required for nuclear technology. Maintaining peak generation capacity is therefore vital for early projects.
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Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
This creates a significant challenge for data centers, whose electricity loads fluctuate rapidly as GPUs handle intensive AI tasks. These severe swings have caused natural gas turbines to struggle under the stress, forcing facilities to rely on expensive battery banks to smooth out demand curves.
Integrating thermal energy storage directly into nuclear reactor designs represents a strategic shift in bridging steady baseload generation with highly volatile data center power demands, potentially reducing reliance on costly supplemental peaker plants and massive battery arrays.
To overcome these hurdles, TerraPower designed its 345-megawatt molten salt-cooled reactor to handle rapid load shifts. Rather than fluctuating the core nuclear reaction output, excess heat is stored in a giant vat of molten sodium to generate additional steam when demand spikes.
This dual approach pairs the high capacity factor of nuclear energy with flexible storage capabilities, positioning the startup to compete effectively in the growing AI power market, as reported by Tim De Chant, senior climate reporter at TechCrunch.
Source: TechCrunch
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