Amazon's way to net-zero carbon continues arsenic the institution announced Wednesday that it has agreed "to support the development" of respective atomic power projects.
"Nuclear is simply a safe root of carbon-free power that tin thief powerfulness our operations and meet the increasing demands of our customers while helping america advancement toward our Climate Pledge committedness to beryllium net-zero c crossed our operations by 2040," said Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), successful a statement.
Related: Will It Take Nuclear Power to Sustain AI? Microsoft Is Betting connected It.
The caller statement includes building precocious SMRs (small modular reactors) successful Washington State, which will beryllium "constructed, owned, and operated by Energy Northwest" pinch the capacity of generating capable power to powerfulness the balanced of 770,000 homes. It's besides expected to create astatine slightest 1,000 impermanent building jobs, according to Energy Northwest.
What Is an SMR?
An SMR is an precocious "small modular reactor" pinch a powerfulness capacity of astir one-third of a accepted atomic powerfulness reactor, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. SMRs tin nutrient a ample magnitude of low-carbon electricity.
"We spot the request for gigawatts of powerfulness successful the coming years, and there's not going to beryllium capable upwind and star projects to beryllium capable to meet the needs, and truthful atomic is simply a awesome opportunity," Garman told CNBC. "Also, the exertion is really advancing to a spot pinch SMRs wherever there's going to beryllium a caller exertion that's going to beryllium safe, and that's going to beryllium easy to manufacture successful a overmuch smaller form."
Amazon besides announced an statement pinch inferior institution Dominion Energy successful Virginia "to research the improvement of an SMR project" adjacent Dominion's existing North Anna atomic powerfulness position and antecedently signed an statement pinch Talen Energy's atomic installation successful Pennsylvania, which will straight powerfulness Amazon information centers "with carbon-free energy."
Related: Google Follows Microsoft's Lead With Nuclear Power for AI
Big Tech Is Going Nuclear
Other Big Tech companies person precocious announced atomic deals. Three Mile Island, a atomic powerfulness works that's been closed for 5 years, is group to reopen by 2028 to power Microsoft's information centers. Google, meanwhile, signed an agreement connected Monday to bargain atomic power from engineering institution Kairos Power by 2030.
Amazon besides recently announced that it "matched each of the energy consumed by our world operations pinch 100% renewable energy"—seven years up of its original 2030 goal.
"One of the fastest ways to reside ambiance alteration is by transitioning our nine to carbon-free power sources, and atomic power is some carbon-free and capable to scale—which is why it's an important area of finance for Amazon," Garman said. "Our agreements will promote the building of caller atomic technologies that will make power for decades to come."
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