Google has signed a corporate agreement to purchase nuclear energy from multiple small modular reactors (SMRs) from Kairos Power.

Kairos expects to deploy the first SMR by 2030, followed by further deployments through to 2035. In total, the US-only deal covers up to 500MW across six to seven reactors.

The SMR company uses a molten-salt cooling system, combined with a ceramic, pebble-type fuel, to transport heat to a steam turbine and generate power. In July, Kairos began construction on its Hermes non-powered demonstration reactor in Tennessee.

Further details about the deal, including pricing and location, were not disclosed.

Back in March, AWS acquired Talen Energy’s data center campus next to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania for $650 million. At the time, it was said to be able to support up to 960MW. In May, AWS was granted a 1,600-acre rezoning request to develop 15 data center buildings.

Then, in September, Microsoft announced that it would take up 100 percent of a revived Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in a 837MW, 20-year deal.

As exclusively reported by DCD, Microsoft has built out a nuclear deals team, with personnel including Archie Manoharan and Erin Henderson, while Amazon is looking for its own SMR and nuclear lead.

Meanwhile, Oracle founder Larry Ellison claims that his company plans to build a 1GW data center campus backed by three SMRs, but has yet to provide any further details.

Colocation giant Equinix has agreed to purchase 500MW in PPAs from fast fission reactor company Oklo, while Prometheus Hyperscale has also agreed to purchase 100MW from the Sam Altman-backed business.

Despite widespread enthusiasm among data center operators, SMRs currently remain an unproven technology that faces significant regulatory hurdles.