Google Backs Advanced Nuclear at TVA’s Clinch River as ORNL Pushes Quantum Frontiers : US Pioneer Global VC DIFCHQ SFO NYC Singapore – Riyadh Swiss Our Mind

Google is partnering with Kairos Power and TVA to bring advanced nuclear power to its hyperscale data centers, while Oak Ridge National Lab debuts a room-temperature diamond-based quantum cluster, signaling a new era where AI, next-gen energy, and high-performance computing converge.

Key Highlights

  • Google, Kairos Power, and TVA are collaborating on Hermes 2, a 50 MW advanced nuclear reactor, to provide clean energy for data centers by 2030.
  • Hermes reactor uses fluoride salt coolant and TRISO fuel particles, offering passive safety and high-temperature efficiency for industrial applications.
  • The Clinch River site serves as a testing ground for innovative nuclear designs, with Hermes-1 currently under construction and Hermes-2 planned for commercial operation.
  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory has deployed a diamond-based quantum computing cluster with six qubits, enabling room-temperature quantum processing and hybrid workflows.
  • These technological advancements underscore the convergence of clean energy and high-performance computing, shaping the future of sustainable AI infrastructure.
Kairos
July 2025 - Foundation Progress for Hermes-2 Molten Salt Reactor at TVA’s Clinch River Site: Construction crews have completed key groundwork for Kairos Power’s 50 MW Hermes-2 advanced nuclear reactor. The site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, will supply carbon-free electricity to Google’s regional data centers once operational by 2030, marking a milestone in the company’s iterative approach to next-generation nuclear power.
July 2025 – Foundation Progress for Hermes-2 Molten Salt Reactor at TVA’s Clinch River Site: Construction crews have completed key groundwork for Kairos Power’s 50 MW Hermes-2 advanced nuclear reactor. The site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, will supply carbon-free electricity to Google’s regional data centers once operational by 2030, marking a milestone in the company’s iterative approach to next-generation nuclear power.

At the end of August, Google announced its first advanced nuclear reactor project in partnership with Kairos Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Under the agreement, Google will become the first corporate customer for an advanced reactor in the United States. The collaboration centers on the Hermes 2 project, a 50-megawatt reactor scheduled to begin delivering carbon-free electricity by 2030. TVA will integrate that power into its regional grid and supply it to Google data centers in Tennessee and Alabama.

https://www.datacenterfrontier.com/energy/article/55313606/google-backs-advanced-nuclear-at-tvas-clinch-river-as-ornl-pushes-quantum-frontiers