Nuclear fusion represents the ultimate clean energy source for data centers—but when will it actually deliver power?

Key topics covered:

• Lawrence Livermore ignition milestone: net energy achieved December 2022
• $10.6 billion private funding 2021-2025
• Helion Energy-Microsoft PPA targeting 2028 delivery
• Commonwealth Fusion Systems building 400 MW SPARC device

Related keywords: nuclear fusion data centers, Helion Energy Microsoft, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, SPARC reactor, fusion ignition, clean energy future

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Geothermal energy is emerging as a significant power source for data centers, with Google's Fervo Energy partnership leading commercial-scale deployment.

Key topics covered:

• Google-Fervo partnership: 115 MW enhanced geothermal in Nevada
• Cape Station Utah: 100 MW in 2026, expanding to 2 GW
• Horizontal drilling and fracking techniques from oil and gas
• Ormat Technologies adding 150 MW for Google expansion

Related keywords: geothermal data centers, Fervo Energy, Google geothermal, enhanced geothermal systems, 24/7 carbon-free energy

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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's approval process determines when advanced reactors can actually power data centers.

Key topics covered:

• ADVANCE Act streamlining licensing for advanced reactors
• Part 53 performance-based framework expected March 2026
• NuScale 462 MW approval completed in under two years
• TerraPower Natrium: first non-light water reactor approval in 50 years

Related keywords: NRC advanced reactor, ADVANCE Act nuclear, Part 53 framework, nuclear licensing timeline, TerraPower Natrium, SMR regulatory approval

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The Westinghouse eVinci represents the most radical departure from traditional nuclear architecture—a reactor that fits on a truck and uses passive heat pipe cooling.

Key topics covered:

• 5 MW output with 8-year fuel cycle and passive cooling
• Heat pipe technology eliminating pumps and operator intervention
• Smaller than a school bus, installable on 2-acre sites
• Idaho National Laboratory testing scheduled for 2026

Related keywords: Westinghouse eVinci, microreactor, heat pipe reactor, passive nuclear cooling, truck-delivered reactor, DOE demonstration project

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NuScale Power is the only company with an NRC-certified small modular reactor design, and it's now targeting AI data centers as its primary market.

Key topics covered:

• NRC design certification advantage over competitors
• VOYGR design: 77 MW per module, scalable to 924 MW
• ENTRA1-TVA agreement: 6 GW, 72 modules
• Standard Power: 2 GW for Ohio and Pennsylvania data centers by 2029

Related keywords: NuScale Power, SMR data centers, VOYGR reactor, ENTRA1 Energy, TVA nuclear agreement, NRC certified reactor

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Oklo is betting its future on powering AI data centers with micro reactors. This episode explores the company's Aurora powerhouse design, its strategic partnership with Meta, and the regulatory pathway to commercial operation.

Key topics covered:

• Aurora powerhouse: 15-50 MW units sized for data center campuses
• Sam Altman-backed SPAC merger connecting nuclear to AI ecosystem
• Sodium-cooled fast reactor design utilizing recycled nuclear fuel
• Factory fabrication and truck transport logistics

Related keywords: Oklo nuclear, Aurora powerhouse, Meta data center nuclear, Sam Altman nuclear, sodium-cooled reactor, AI infrastructure power

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The nuclear micro reactor is no longer theoretical—it's becoming a procurement decision for data center operators. This episode examines the leading micro reactor designs from Oklo and Westinghouse, their technical specifications, and the realistic timelines for commercial deployment.

Key topics covered:

• Oklo Aurora powerhouse: 15-50 MW units with sodium-cooled fast reactor design
• Westinghouse eVinci: 5 MW output with 40-year lifespan and passive cooling
• NRC licensing acceleration for advanced reactor designs
• Factory fabrication economics vs. traditional nuclear construction
• 3-4 year deployment timelines vs. 5-7 year grid interconnection queues

Related keywords: micro reactors data centers, Oklo Aurora, Westinghouse eVinci, small modular reactors, NRC advanced reactor licensing, nuclear data center power

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Data centers are becoming heating plants. Waste heat from AI workloads is being captured and redirected into district heating networks, transforming a byproduct into a revenue stream. This episode examines heat recovery projects across Europe and the business case for integrating heat recovery into new builds.

Key topics covered:

• Microsoft-Fortum partnership serving 250,000 people in Finland
• Google's Hamina data center supplying 80% of district heating
• AWS Dublin providing 92% of campus heating demand
• Equinix Paris heating 1,000 homes from server waste heat
• 3-year payback on heat recovery infrastructure

Related keywords: data center heat recovery, district heating data centers, waste heat reuse, Microsoft Fortum Finland, ESG data centers, heat exchangers data centers

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