Amazon Web Services (AWS) is investing over $500 million in nuclear power technologies after revealing three projects from Virginia to Washington state. AWS has a significant need for clean energy as it expands services into generative AI (GenAI).
This mission is happening through signed agreements with Virginia-based utility company Dominion Energy and Washington-based Energy Northwest. Nuclear reactors do not produce carbon emissions.
SMRs are known as an advanced kind of nuclear reactor with a smaller physical footprint, enabling them to be built closer to the grid. And they also have faster build times than traditional reactors, allowing them to come online sooner.
Amazon also recently announced that it matched all of the electricity consumed by global operations with 100% renewable energy — which was seven years ahead of the 2030 goal.
In Washington, Amazon’s agreement with Energy Northwest, a consortium of state public utilities, will enable the development of four advanced SMRs. These reactors will be constructed, owned, and operated by Energy Northwest and are expected to generate roughly 320 megawatts (MW) of capacity for the first phase of the project, with the option to increase to 960 MW total (enough to power the equivalent of more than 770,000 U.S. homes). Plus, these projects will help meet the forecasted energy needs of the Pacific Northwest beginning 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. This investment includes manufacturing capacity to develop the SMR equipment to support more than five gigawatts of new nuclear energy projects utilizing X-energy’s technology.
In Virginia, Amazon 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. And this will bring at least 300 megawatts of power to the Virginia region, where Dominion projects that power demands will increase by 85% over the next 15 years.
Amazon also previously signed an agreement to co-locate a data center facility next to the Talen Energy’s nuclear facility in Pennsylvania, which will directly power data centers with carbon-free energy, and helps preserve this existing reactor.
Along with creating and preserving sources of carbon-free energy, Amazon’s investments in nuclear energy projects are expected to provide an economic boost for the local communities in which they reside. The agreement with Energy Northwest is expected to support up to 1,000 temporary construction jobs and as many as 100+ permanent jobs once the SMR project is fully operational, according to Energy Northwest. In Pennsylvania, Amazon is building a data center campus as part of an investment in Talen Energy. That project will create construction jobs and bring upgrades to local utility infrastructure. And the investment will also help preserve the 900 local jobs already there to keep the facility up and running, according to Talen Energy.
KEY QUOTES:
“Washington State is building out a full range of clean energy options as our electricity demand is projected to double over the next 25 years. Small modular reactors and fusion energy can play critical roles in providing consumers and businesses reliable zero-emission energy. It’s exciting to see the Tri-Cities playing a local and national role in building our clean energy future.
It’s why we dedicated $25 million from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act for Energy Northwest, and I congratulate them on being part of AWS’s effort to build clean power sources that help cover their growing energy needs.”
– Washington Governor Jay Inslee
“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. 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 able to scale—which is why it’s an important area of investment for Amazon. Our agreements will encourage the construction of new nuclear technologies that will generate energy for decades to come.”
-Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS)
“In alignment with our All-American, All-of-the-Above energy plan, small modular nuclear reactors will play a critical role in positioning Virginia as a leading nuclear innovation hub…. Amazon Web Services’ commitment to this technology and their partnership with Dominion is a significant step forward to meet the future power needs of a growing Virginia.”
– Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin
“I’m glad Dominion and Amazon have come to this exciting agreement to diversify our clean energy options….From offshore wind to nuclear energy, Virginia is well positioned to be a leader in energy innovation and job creation. I will continue to do all that I can to make sure we are harnessing that opportunity, including by encouraging other companies to utilize the clean energy incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act that I’m proud to have helped pass.”
– U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)
