Amazon is funding a new nuclear plant in Indiana
Amazon has partnered with X-energy and American Electric Power to fund a new nuclear energy facility in Indiana to power its data centers. The project aims to deploy advanced small modular reactors to provide carbon-free energy, though the technology remains in development.
Why it matters
As AI data centers consume massive amounts of electricity, major tech companies are increasingly turning to nuclear energy to meet their power needs and sustainability goals.
Amazon has signed an agreement with X-energy and American Electric Power (AEP) to fund the building of a new nuclear energy facility in Indiana. The proposed plant, which would replace the now defunct coal-fueled Breed Generating Station in Fairbanks, Sullivan County, aims to provide up to 960 megawatts of carbon-free energy for both the regional power grid and Amazon’s data centers.
No timeline for construction or operation has been announced for the facility, which Amazon says “could” create 1,000 construction jobs and 100 permanent roles. The facility in Indiana is targeting to build 12 Xe-100 SMR’s, an advanced (but unproven) reactor that’s still undergoing development and licensing. These reactors can be cooled using either air, water, or a hybrid solution of both, which Amazon says should allow them to be deployed in water-constrained regions without impacting water demand in local communities.
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