Amazon nuclear power plant details revealed, including renderings
Amazon
What are SMRs? See what one of the first SMR facilities in the US could look like
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-smr-nuclear-energy
The total energy consumption of AI generation is estimated to reach 15 TWh in 2025 and 347 TWh in 2030. According to estimates by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) , if AI generation reaches 347 TWh, the electricity demand will increase so much that 44 additional nuclear power plants would be needed.
Therefore, in order to meet the increasing demand for electricity in data centers due to the development and spread of AI technology, Amazon will invest approximately $500 million (approximately 75 billion yen) in X-energy, which develops small modular reactors and their fuel, and will support the development of small modular reactors. Announced on October 16, 2024. Small modular reactors are next-generation nuclear reactors that are smaller than conventional reactors. While their output is smaller than that of a typical nuclear power plant, their small physical footprint allows them to be placed near existing power grids and they take less time to build than conventional reactors.
Amazon announces it will invest over 75 billion yen in the next-generation nuclear reactor 'small modular reactor' development project - GIGAZINE
On October 16, 2025, Amazon posted an update on its small modular reactor facility on its official blog. The small modular reactor facility Amazon is planning in Washington State is named the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility (Cascade). Cascade aims to provide reliable, safe, 24/7 carbon-free energy to reduce carbon emissions, achieve sustainability goals, and power the AI and digital tools that have become essential in our daily lives.
Below is a rendering provided by X-energy of what the small modular reactor facility would look like when completed.
The unique feature of the SMR facility is that it is constructed as a modular system consisting of a collection of independent sections. Below is a rendering of the SMR section shown in the blog, which shows that it will have three 320MW (megawatt) sections, creating a 960MW plant on a site of just a few blocks. A conventional nuclear power plant requires more than 1.6 square kilometers of land for even a 1GW plant, so this significantly reduces the amount of space required.
Cascade is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs during construction, including more than 100 full-time positions in nuclear operations, engineering, and other specialized fields. X-energy is also establishing an Energy Learning Center at
'This project is more than just new technology; it's creating a reliable, carbon-free source of energy to power our growing digital world,' said Kara Hurst, Amazon's Chief Sustainability Officer. 'I'm excited about the potential of small modular reactors and the positive impact they will have on both the environment and local communities.'
'A year ago, we set out with Amazon to reshape how we advance new energy projects in America and how we advance technologies like AI that drive our economy,' said J. Clay Sell, CEO of X-energy. 'Over the past year, Amazon's support has enabled us to accelerate our technology advancements, develop a team of world-class talent and expertise, and position Cascade at the forefront of energy innovation. The scale of this effort is historic, and we are honored to collaborate with world-class partners like Amazon.'
Amazon's Cascade project is expected to begin construction by the end of the 2020s, with operations expected to begin in the 2030s.
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