- X-energy, a startup specializing in small modular reactors (SMRs), is targeting the burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) market due to the continuous energy needs of data centers, which operate 24/7.
- The company’s CEO, Clay Sell, believes that SMRs are an ideal fit for AI’s energy demands due to their reliability, and he predicts that the rise of AI and the electrification of the economy will drive an increase in power demand.
- X-energy is already involved in projects, including a partnership with Dow to deploy four reactors in Texas by 2030 and collaboration with Energy Northwest in Washington State, highlighting the potential of SMRs to play a significant role in meeting future energy needs while reducing carbon emissions.
X-energy, a startup specializing in small modular reactors (SMRs), is strategically positioning itself to cater to the escalating energy demands of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. The company’s CEO, Clay Sell, underscores the continuous energy requirements of data centers, which operate round-the-clock, as an ideal match for SMRs due to their reliability. Sell also anticipates that the rise of AI, coupled with the electrification of the economy (e.g., electric vehicles), will drive an uptick in power demand after years of relatively stagnant consumption.
Despite potential political shifts in Washington, D.C., Sell remains sanguine about the prospects of SMRs, citing bipartisan support for nuclear energy. X-energy benefits from the backing of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Projects (ARDP), initiated during the Trump administration and bolstered by significant funding in the 2021 infrastructure law.
X-energy has already embarked on several projects, including a collaboration with Dow to deploy four reactors at the chemical giant’s Seadrift Operations site in Texas by 2030, with DOE funding of up to $1.23 billion. Additionally, X-energy is engaged in a partnership with Energy Northwest, a utility based in Washington State.
The company’s strategic focus on addressing the energy needs of AI and other high-demand sectors underscores the potential for SMRs to play a pivotal role in meeting future energy requirements while curbing carbon emissions. X-energy’s initiatives highlight the evolving landscape of energy consumption and the innovative solutions being developed to address these challenges.
