US plans to use old Navy nuclear reactors to power AI data centers
The US is looking to give naval nuclear reactors a second life—this time as the energy source for AI data centers.
HGP Intelligent Energy's CoreHeld Project aims to supply up to 520 megawatts of steady, carbon-free power near Oak Ridge National Lab, with hopes to be up and running by 2029.
The project comes with a $1.8-2.1 billion price tag and was just proposed under the White House Genesis Mission.
Why use these reactors?
These A4W and A1B reactors, originally from Nimitz- and Ford-class ships, are compact, reliable, and have strong safety records for naval reactors in general, especially A4W, but not yet for A1B due to limited operational history.
Unlike solar or wind, they deliver constant clean energy—perfect for keeping power-hungry AI servers online around the clock.
What makes this project stand out?
It's cheaper than building new nuclear plants (which can cost $10 billion per gigawatt) and skips years of regulatory delays thanks to a hybrid path of oversight by the Department of Energy and Navy.
There are some hurdles ahead—like switching fuel types by 2030—but CEO Gregory Forero is optimistic: "We already know how to do this safely and at scale, and we're fortunate to have a solid base of investors and partners who share that vision."
If all goes well, this could mean more reliable power for the tech driving your favorite apps and services.