US advanced nuclear developer Nano Nuclear Energy has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Super Micro Computer (Supermicro) to explore the integration of Nano’s advanced nuclear technology with Supermicro’s data center platform.

The MoU sets out several opportunity areas that the companies intend to explore. These include the deployment of Nano’s nuclear reactors to provide onsite nuclear power for data centers; the integration of Supermicro’s AI server racks, cooling systems, and broader infrastructure with nuclear power; the development of market strategies for hyperscale, enterprise, and Edge data center customers; and enabling a new class of self-powered and grid-independent AI infrastructure.

“This collaboration with Supermicro represents a powerful convergence of two transformative technologies: advanced nuclear energy and artificial intelligence infrastructure,” said Jay Yu, chairman and president of Nano Nuclear.

“The AI revolution is fundamentally an energy challenge, and we believe nuclear power is the only scalable solution capable of meeting that demand. By working alongside one of the world’s leading providers of AI server technology, we are positioning Nano Nuclear at the forefront of a new paradigm, where data centers are not constrained by the grid, but powered by dedicated, on-site nuclear energy systems.”

Nano is currently developing the Kronos micro modular reactor, expected to serve as its main offering. Kronos is a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor designed to produce 15MW of electricity. The units are intended for long-term deployments of up to 20 years without refueling.

Nano is currently pursuing several licensing pathways in the North American market. In the US, it submitted its Construction Permit Application for the Kronos reactor to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in April. The firm’s deployment strategy focuses on “first-of-a-kind” projects followed by commercial rollout. The company’s firm demonstration project is targeted for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Despite the progress, Nano’s commercial timeline has been panned by critics as unrealistic, with the firm targeting first deployments in the early 2030s.

In 2024, the firm faced a class action lawsuit that accused the firm of making false or misleading statements regarding its regulatory progress and commercial feasibility. The company successfully had the suit dismissed in January.

This concern is reflected across the advanced nuclear reactor sector, due to the length of time it usually takes to license new nuclear reactor technology.

The concern has not stopped data center companies from backing advanced nuclear en masse, due to its vast potential in providing a clean, reliable power source for the sector. Notable examples include Amazon, Google, Data4, Oracle, Switch, and Equinix.