Amazon Invests in Small Modular Reactors to Accelerate Carbon-Free Energy Transition

Amazon is accelerating its transition to carbon-free energy by investing in innovative nuclear power projects. The company has signed three new agreements to support the development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), an advanced type of nuclear reactor with a smaller footprint and faster build times. These investments are expected to create jobs, support local economies, and provide reliable, carbon-free energy for Amazon’s operations and the electricity grid.

This move aligns with industry trends, as other tech giants like Google have also invested in SMRs to power their operations sustainably. Google’s recent agreement aims to bring Kairos Power’s first SMR online by 2030, highlighting the tech sector’s commitment to clean energy innovation.

“Nuclear is a safe source of carbon-free energy that can help power our operations and meet the growing demands of our customers while helping us progress toward our Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040,” said Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS). “One of the fastest ways to address climate change is by transitioning our society to carbon-free energy sources, and nuclear energy is both carbon-free and scalable—which is why it’s an important area of investment for Amazon.”

In Washington, Amazon’s agreement with Energy Northwest will enable the development of four advanced SMRs. These reactors are expected to generate approximately 320 megawatts (MW) of capacity in the project’s first phase, with the option to increase to 960 MW—enough to power more than 770,000 U.S. homes. The project aims to meet the Pacific Northwest’s forecasted energy needs starting in the early 2030s.

Amazon is also investing in X-energy, a leading developer of next-generation SMR reactors and fuel. X-energy’s advanced nuclear reactor design will be used in the Energy Northwest project, including manufacturing capacity to develop SMR equipment supporting over five gigawatts of new nuclear energy projects utilizing X-energy’s technology.

In Virginia, Amazon has signed an agreement with utility company Dominion Energy to explore the development of an SMR project near Dominion’s existing North Anna nuclear power station. This initiative will bring at least 300 MW of power to the Virginia region, where Dominion projects that power demands will increase by 85% over the next 15 years.

Amazon previously signed an agreement to co-locate a data center facility next to Talen Energy’s nuclear facility in Pennsylvania. This move will directly power Amazon’s data centers with carbon-free energy and help preserve the existing reactor.