Can Underground Nuclear Power Change Data Centres?

An innovative partnership between Deep Fission and Endeavour Energy aims to transform how data centres are powered.

At the heart of this plan is the application of deep borehole nuclear technology, a method poised to revolutionise energy supply to high-demand data centres globally.

This strategic alliance seeks to achieve competitive electricity rates, targeting between 5-7 cents per kilowatt-hour, with the ambitious goal of generating two gigawatts of nuclear energy.

These resources are set to support Endeavour’s extensive portfolio of edged data centres around the world.

Planned to commence operations in 2029, these nuclear reactors arrive at a crucial time when the data centre industry is challenged to meet increasing energy needs without compromising on environmental targets.

The promise of nuclear advancement

Deep Fission's approach is different to the norm with its reactors designed for underground placement approximately one mile beneath the surface.

This use of natural geological formations for containment and pressure control marks a significant shift from conventional small modular reactor designs.

More than 40 patents reflect Deep Fission's commitment to enhancing safety, efficiency and deployment techniques in nuclear technology, demonstrating a notable advancement in power density and reactor design.

The installation’s compact nature, covering just a quarter-acre while capable of outputting over 100 megawatts, could be crucial for data centres in urban areas where space is expensive and hard to come by.

“While nuclear power's momentum is clear, cost remains the primary barrier,” says Elizabeth Muller, Co-Founder and CEO of Deep Fission. “This partnership represents a step-change in power provision for data centres globally.”

The rising demand for power within data centres—due primarily to escalating AI workloads—can potentially be met by the significant 2GW energy output from this partnership, accommodating up to 200 million GPU-hours every year.

Such capacity showcases the potential to support between 15-20 hyperscale facilities, indicating a substantial boost in the computing power of future data centres.

By utilising the natural containment offered by geological features, both companies intend to streamline safety mechanisms and speed up the deployment process, not to mention minimising the land required for safety exclusion zones—another critical factor in site selection for data centres.

Addressing power availability concerns

With growing concerns over the sufficiency of power supply amid expanding data centre operations, especially in key markets experiencing grid limitations, this partnership could play a crucial role.

Co-locating substantial power generation assets with data centre facilities could offer a strategic advantage within market expansion plans.

Jakob Carnemark, Founder of Endeavour, explains: “Supporting AI's unprecedented power demands while meeting environmental goals requires innovative solutions that remain commercially viable. 

“Deep Fission's approach fundamentally changes the economics of nuclear projects through reduced construction timelines and enhanced safety, while delivering clean, reliable energy at an unprecedented power density.”

The zero-carbon quality of nuclear energy not only provides a critical advantage in increasing the reliability of essential infrastructure but also meets the growing industry mandate to reduce carbon footprints in data centre operations.

While traditional nuclear projects often experience lengthy development phases, this joint effort stands out with its significantly shorter timeline, aligning more closely with the rapid scaling that technology giants—like Google and Amazon, who invest heavily in data centres—now expect.

Jakob adds: “We believe this transformative approach will reshape how the industry thinks about power provision.”

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