Google, TVA, and Kairos Partner to Power AI Data Centers With Next-Generation Nuclear Energy

Google is moving closer to its nuclear energy ambitions with a landmark agreement involving the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and engineering company Kairos Power, marking a first-of-its-kind step for advanced nuclear technology in the United States.

The deal, announced this week, will see TVA purchase electricity from a next-generation nuclear reactor being developed by Kairos Power in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Once the reactor comes online in 2030, it is expected to supply power directly to the grid serving Google’s data centers in Tennessee and Alabama. Both companies described the agreement as the first power purchase deal by a U.S. utility for a nuclear technology this advanced.

If successful, the project could open a new chapter for nuclear power in the U.S., where the current fleet of 94 reactors is built on decades-old technology that has struggled to compete with cheaper natural gas, solar, and wind energy. With electricity demand rising sharply, particularly from data-heavy artificial intelligence applications, industry experts say the Kairos project could help revive nuclear power as a reliable, carbon-free option.

The reactor, known as Hermes 2, builds on Kairos Power’s first Hermes demonstration reactor, which broke ground in July 2023 after becoming the first non-water-cooled nuclear design in more than 50 years to receive a construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Unlike conventional nuclear plants that rely on water for cooling, Kairos’ system uses molten fluoride salt. Because the coolant has a much higher boiling point than water and does not boil, the reactor can run at relatively low pressure. That eliminates the need for the large, costly high-pressure containment structures associated with traditional plants, making the design potentially safer and cheaper to deploy.

Oak Ridge, the site of the Hermes 2 project, carries historical significance as the headquarters of the Manhattan Project during World War II. While the area once hosted facilities enriching uranium for the first atomic bombs, it has since transformed into a hub for nuclear energy research and innovation.

Google’s partnership with TVA and Kairos reflects its longer-term strategy. The company has committed to helping deploy 500 megawatts of new nuclear capacity in the U.S. by 2035. For comparison, America’s operating nuclear reactors collectively provided about 97,000 megawatts in 2024, supplying just under 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. The Hermes 2 demonstration plant will begin with a 50-megawatt capacity.

In addition to the electricity supply, Google will also receive “clean energy attributes” from Hermes 2 through TVA. These certificates represent the environmental benefits of avoiding fossil fuel emissions and can be sold or used to offset carbon footprints. While research suggests such certificates may sometimes overstate environmental benefits, they remain a critical source of revenue for developers to expand pollution-free energy sources.

Tech companies have increasingly relied on these certificates to meet climate targets and brand themselves as running on clean energy, even when connected to a grid that still draws heavily from fossil fuels. Google’s decision to partner on nuclear power comes as its own emissions are on the rise again, fueled by the rapid expansion of AI services, which require vast amounts of electricity to operate.

For the nuclear industry, the agreement represents a rare sign of momentum. Advocates say next-generation technologies like Kairos’ molten salt reactors could finally solve some of the cost and safety challenges that have dogged nuclear projects for decades. For Google, the deal is not just about energy—it’s about securing the future of its AI-powered business under the banner of clean power.