Deep Atomic, a nuclear energy startup, plans to introduce a new small modular reactor designed to power data centers.
Deep Atomic, a nuclear energy startup, plans to introduce a new small modular reactor designed to power data centers. This compact, scalable solution addresses the tech sector’s energy crunch while prioritizing safety and environmental sustainability. Through modular design and factory production, Deep Atomic aims to reduce costs and deployment times, and also facilitate digital infrastructure expansion in areas with limited grid access.
Deep Atomic, a globally minded nuclear energy startup, has launched with a mission to solve the growing energy crisis facing the data center industry.
As AI advances, and hyperscalers like Google, Amazon and Meta attract ever more users to a growing range of digital services, the global demand for computing power is skyrocketing. This, in turn, is leading to unsustainable energy consumption and carbon emissions from digital infrastructure.
William Theron, founder and CEO of Deep Atomic, said:
Data centers (DCs) are the backbone of digital innovation, but their massive energy needs have become the critical bottleneck blocking growth.
Deep Atomic’s solution is the MK60, a light water small modular reactor (SMR) specifically designed around the requirements of modern and future data centers. The MK60 SMR is compact, scalable, and built on a foundation of proven technology. The reactor is well-suited to various types of data centers, including those supporting traditional cloud services, cryptocurrency operations, and AI applications. Each unit generates up to 60 megawatts of electricity and provides an additional 60 megawatts of cooling capacity through its integrated DC-centric design approach.
The reactor will offer DC operators a scalable power solution that can be deployed in various locations, including areas with limited grid access, and can be sited closer to urban areas due to its advanced safety features. Operators are increasingly looking to edge data centers (compute infrastructures on the outskirts of urban zones). These edge centers reduce latency (the delay before data transfer begins) and can deliver data and digital services faster because they’re closer to areas of high demand.
Theron elaborates:
“It’s designed to be installed on-site at data centers, delivering reliable zero-carbon electricity and energy-efficient cooling, thereby significantly reducing carbon footprints, and helping data centers meet their increasingly stringent sustainability goals,”
Deep Atomic’s approach also tackles the growing concern of grid capacity constraints.
Freddy Mondale, Deep Atomic’s Head of Engineering, said:
Many regions are struggling to provide the massive amounts of power required by new data centers.
“Our on-site reactors bypass these grid limitations, allowing DCs to be built in optimal locations without straining existing infrastructure. The MK60 provides ‘firm energy’; dispatchable, always-on electricity 24/7, regardless of weather conditions or grid instability – a key consideration for DC operators.”
“By providing both electricity and cooling, we’re solving two major challenges for data centers – power availability and heat management. The MK60 utilizes waste heat for cooling, significantly increasing overall energy efficiency. Our ‘behind-the-meter’ approach means we can deploy reactors in areas with limited or unreliable grid access, opening up new possibilities for DC locations, allowing operators to expand into previously unfeasible areas,” he explains.
Bucking the trend of the larger 300MW reactors common in the emerging SMR industry, Deep Atomic has deliberately opted for a more compact 60MW design.
Articulating the rationale behind this strategic choice, Mondale says that “a 60 MWe reactor with additional 60 MW of cooling capacity hits a sweet spot for data centers. It’s large enough to power significant compute infrastructure, yet small enough to allow for modular deployment and scaling.”
“This size also reduces initial capital costs and project risks compared to larger SMRs, making it more attractive for DC operators. The MK60 can be deployed in multiples, allowing scalability from 60 MW up to over 1 GW to meet growing energy demands.”
He adds that Deep Atomic intends to achieve economies of series, progressively reducing costs with each unit built, by standardizing components and emphasizing factory production and testing.
Deep Atomic’s design philosophy centers on risk mitigation and practical deployment. The MK60 reactor design is based on decades of proven nuclear technology, that Deep Atomic has optimized for the specific needs of data centers, says Deep Atomic Co-founder and Chief Design Officer Rea Stark.
“Our core philosophy is to design to be built. We’re not reinventing nuclear technology, but rather refining it for data center applications. Our approach facilitates smoother regulatory processes, and efficient scaling,” Stark notes.
Safety is likewise paramount in the company’s design ethos. The MK60 incorporates multiple passive safety systems, ensuring safe operation and automatic shutdown without external intervention.
The startup has attracted key talent from various sectors, including former Google engineers, as well as experts from the nuclear, mechanical, electrical, and civil disciplines. The team also includes professionals with backgrounds in project management, business strategy, and finance.
Deep Atomic has already begun to engage with regulators and potential customers as it moves forward with development. The group is actively seeking partnerships with data center operators and other investors looking towards the future of sustainable digital infrastructure.
Theron, said:
“We’ve reimagined nuclear technology for the digital age and are building a reactor tailored for compute. Our dual-purpose design significantly reduces complexity and increases overall efficiency,”
“By placing our SMRs on the data center campus we can deliver cost-effective, reliable, safe and carbon-free electricity and cooling.”
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Deep Atomic, a nuclear energy startup, plans to introduce a new small modular reactor designed to power data centers.