Amazon continues preparations for its modular reactor project

Amazon has published new visualizations of its planned small modular reactor (SMR) power plant, which will be called the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility. It also reported on the progress made one year after announcing its investment plans.

Amazon, in collaboration with energy company Energy Northwest and technology developer X-energy, plans to build up to 12 small modular reactors near the Columbia Generating Station nuclear power plant in Washington state.

The first phase is expected to comprise four reactors with a total electrical capacity of 320 MWe. Under current plans, construction is expected to begin at the end of this decade, with operations potentially starting during the 2030s.

SMRs as a solution for data centers

Amazon is among the largest data center operators, alongside Microsoft, Google and Meta, seeking reliable, zero-emission sources of electricity. Small modular reactors are intended to be one solution to meet the needs of energy-intensive computing processes, including artificial intelligence.

"This project is about more than a new technology; it is about creating a reliable, zero-emission energy source to support our digital world," said Kara Hurst, Amazon's chief sustainability officer.

Technical specifications of the Xe-100 reactor

The project will use the Xe-100 SMR, an advanced Generation IV reactor developed by X-energy.

The basic unit has a capacity of 80 MWe, while four modules make up a standard 320 MWe plant. The reactor uses high-temperature helium as a coolant and can produce steam at temperatures of up to 565 °C, which is also suitable for industrial applications such as mining and the chemical industry.

The Xe-100 uses TRISO (tri-structural isotropic) spherical fuel, which provides a high level of passive safety: each fuel element has its own multilayer coating and can withstand extreme temperatures without the risk of melting.

The reactor is designed to be transportable by road, enabling construction time to be shortened and costs to be managed more effectively. The technology is also being used in another X-energy project at Dow Inc.'s site in Texas, which could become North America's first commercial advanced nuclear reactor designed specifically for industrial operations once it starts up.

Regional impact and employment

Amazon estimates that construction will create more than 1,000 jobs, followed by over 100 permanent positions.

To support education, a new Energy Learning Center will be established at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington, equipped with a training simulator that will replicate the Xe-100 reactor control room.

Long-term goal: 5 GW of nuclear power by 2039

The Cascade project is part of Amazon's wider initiative to secure more than 5 GW of new nuclear capacity in the US by 2039.

Amazon and X-energy have also signed an agreement with South Korean companies Doosan Enerbility and KHNP to accelerate the construction of new SMRs.

"The scale of this project is historic. With Amazon's support, we have been able to accelerate technology development, expand our team with top experts and move the Cascade project to the forefront of energy innovation," said X-energy CEO Clay Sell.