Google will provide development funding for three new nuclear energy sites in collaboration with Elementl Power. The investment underscores Google’s growing efforts to secure reliable, low-carbon energy to support the increasing power demands of its data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
While the financial details of the deal were not disclosed, Google’s funding will cover early-stage project costs, including site permitting, contract negotiations, and regulatory groundwork. Each planned site is expected to generate at least 600 megawatts of electricity, with Google retaining the option to purchase the power once the facilities become operational. The locations of the projects have not yet been revealed.
“Google is committed to catalysing projects that strengthen the power grids where we operate, and advanced nuclear technology provides reliable, baseload, 24/7 energy,” said Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s Global Head of Data Centre Energy. “Our collaboration with Elementl Power enhances our ability to move at the speed required to meet this moment of AI and American innovation.”
Elementl Power, founded in 2022, has yet to construct a nuclear site and describes itself as “technology agnostic,” meaning it has not committed to a specific reactor design and will select the most advanced option available at the time of deployment.
The announcement comes amid a broader trend of tech giants backing nuclear projects to meet surging electricity demand from next-generation data centres. Last year, Google partnered with Kairos Power to buy energy from its small modular reactors, expected to be operational by 2030.
Elementl CEO Chris Colbert noted that investment from companies like Google is crucial for mobilising the capital needed to realise new nuclear developments. The firm plans to secure additional financing for the construction phase and aims to add over 10 gigawatts of nuclear capacity to the U.S. grid by 2035.
The growth of energy-intensive AI models has driven fierce debate over the future of data centre demand. While some question the scale of infrastructure needed—particularly following China’s development of lower-cost AI models—industry leaders such as Amazon and Nvidia maintain that demand for computing power continues to accelerate.
“We continue to see very strong demand,” said Kevin Miller, Amazon’s Vice President of Global Data Centres, during a recent industry conference. “We’re looking at both the short and long term and seeing the numbers only going up.”
