Amazon Web Services is investing over $500 million in nuclear power, with three projects from Virginia to Washington State. As part of its goal for net-zero carbon emissions, AWS has announced agreements with Dominion Energy in Virginia and Energy Northwest in Washington to explore the development of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). SMRs are advanced reactors with a smaller footprint and faster build times than traditional reactors, making them ideal for meeting the growing energy needs of data centers.
Virginia, home to nearly half of all data centers in the U.S., is a key location for these projects. Dominion Energy serves a significant portion of these data centers and projects an 85% increase in power demand over the next 15 years. AWS expects the new SMRs to bring at least 300 megawatts of power to the Virginia region, supporting its plan to invest $35 billion by 2040 in establishing multiple data center campuses in the state. The SMRs in Washington State will be developed with technology from X-energy and will provide clean, safe, and reliable energy to power Amazon operations as well as homes and businesses.
Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund is the lead anchor in a $500 million financing round for X-Energy, demonstrating its commitment to investing in early-stage sustainability companies. These investments in nuclear power are seen as crucial for meeting the increasing demand for clean energy, especially in regions with high concentrations of data centers. AWS aims to leverage advanced nuclear technology to power its services, including generative AI, in a sustainable manner.
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