Deep Fission, a California nuclear startup, is working with a data center developer to build small nuclear reactors a mile underground.
Under a deal announced Tuesday, Deep Fission is set to deliver 2 gigawatts of nuclear power — enough to supply 1.5 million homes — to Endeavour Energy, a sustainable infrastructure firm. Deep Fission expects its first reactors to be operational by 2029 to support Endeavour’s network of Edged data centers, but experts say their technology faces major operational and regulatory challenges.
The company’s late 2024 entry to the scene comes amid an explosion of data centers and growing corporate interest in nuclear energy. Google signed a deal with Kairos Power to purchase electricity from multiple small modular reactors, and Oklo, backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has partnered with Switch to provide nuclear power to support the surging energy needs of AI.
Deep Fission’s CEO, Elizabeth Muller, noted that the company’s pressurized water reactor technology is the same as most operating U.S. nuclear plants, unlike other startup designs that overhaul coolant systems and require special fuel.
