- Amazon partners with X-energy and Energy Northwest to deploy twelve modular reactors
- The Cascade Advanced Energy Facility will anchor a one-gigawatt nuclear project
- Each Xe-100 reactor will generate 80 megawatts of scalable clean power
Amazon has revealed plans for the construction of 12 small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) through a partnership with X-energy and Energy Northwest as it aims for a combined output of about 1GW by the next decade.
The Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, set for development near Richland, Washington, will form the backbone of this new initiative.
Amazon says the project is part of a long-term strategy to bring over 5GW of new nuclear power to the U.S. grid by 2039.
Powering the rise of AI and cloud services
If Amazon’s plan succeeds, it will mark one of the largest corporate-backed clean energy ventures to date, with the new reactors expected to provide carbon-free electricity to power its expanding digital ecosystem, including its AI tools, large-scale data centers, and cloud storage systems.
As AI drives rising computational demand, renewable energy like solar and wind often lacks the stability required for continuous operation. Nuclear energy, however, offers around-the-clock reliability.
The SMR project is therefore seen as a way to ensure a continuous power supply to the infrastructure that supports Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other digital operations.
“This project isn’t just about new technology, it’s about creating a reliable source of carbon-free energy that will support our growing digital world,” said Kara Hurst, Amazon’s chief sustainability officer.
The Cascade project will use X-energy’s Xe-100 reactor design, a next-generation modular system built for scalability and safety.
Each unit will generate about 80MW of power, with modular construction allowing quicker deployment than traditional nuclear plants.
Local workforce preparation is already underway through the Department of Energy-funded Energy Learning Center at Columbia Basin College, which will host a high-fidelity simulator replicating the Xe-100 control room in a bid to train operators, engineers, and technicians for high-paying roles once the Cascade reactors enter service.
Amazon says the project will create over 1,000 construction jobs and more than 100 permanent technical roles.
The project will also support Washington State’s goal of diversifying its clean energy portfolio.
However, critics note that nuclear projects face long approval timelines and high upfront costs.
Construction of the first reactors is scheduled to begin near the end of this decade, with operations expected in the early 2030s.
Amazon has also partnered with Talen Energy to develop a nuclear-powered data center in Pennsylvania.
SMRs are smaller and potentially safer, but whether they will deliver on their promise of clean, scalable, and cost-effective power remains to be seen.
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