Next Generation Nuclear Power: Oracle’s solution to power-guzzling AI

Oracle President Larry Ellison announced this week that AI’s growing demand for electricity is pushing Oracle to consider next-generation nuclear power.

During an earnings call, Ellison said the company is designing a data center that will need more than a gigawatt of electricity, which would be provided by three small nuclear reactors, according to the data. CNBC.

Ellison revealed that Oracle’s planned data center will be powered by small modular nuclear reactors, which already have permits to build. He did not disclose the location, but pointed to the growing demand for power that data centers would need on the earnings call.

The reactors in question, under 300 megawatts, promise a faster deployment of carbon-free energy. Although promising, small modular reactors are not expected to be commercialized in the US until the 2030s.

That I noted this summerOklo, the Sam Altman-backed nuclear startup, is a Zero Hedge favorite and continues to launch its first reactor by 2027.

The company – which we highlighted as a potential solution to the future extreme energy demands due to artificial intelligence – manufactures nuclear power plants, from 15 MWe to 50 MWe, using liquid metal reactor technology.

And while licensing and fuel supply are still roadblocks, according to the report, the company “has been selected by the Department of Energy for four cost-share awards to commercialize advanced recycling technologies” and has “obtained a permit to use the DOE site. and a fuel award from INL,” Reuters rEPORTS.

Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte commented, “We tried to design and approach this in a way that we could build it as soon as possible.”

DeWitte added, “We’re excited about the diversity of our customers because it shows that our size and business model are a clear match for what our customers care about.”

“They don’t start overnight with a rig that uses that much power, but they usually fall into that and want to create that n+1 or n+2 dynamic with them,” he added.

“You can’t do that even if you build a 300 MW reactor, but you can do that with what we’re doing, and that adds a lot of value.”

Oklo’s “Aurora powerhouse” reactor will cost about $70 million for the 15 MW version, with an LCOE of $80-130/MWh, similar to gas plants and offshore wind, according to Lazard analysis.

Ellison is already a well-known proponent of new energy in Tesla… Could an Oklo and Oracle partnership be in the cards on the way?

By Zerohedge.com

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