AtkinsRéalis and Nvidia Partner on Nuclear-Powered AI Data Center Designs

Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRéalis has announced a partnership with technology company Nvidia to develop nuclear-powered data center designs. These facilities will integrate on-site nuclear power to support hyperscale AI campuses, with capacities ranging from 740MWe to 1000MWe, comparable to small nuclear reactors. According to Sam Stephens, head of digital for AtkinsRéalis Nuclear, co-locating AI data centers with nuclear power enables more resilient, efficient, and sustainable infrastructure by designing power, cooling, and grid connectivity together. The designs aim to reduce carbon emissions compared to conventional data centers while supporting local grids and communities through shared electric infrastructure and waste heat utilization. Nvidia's proprietary computing technologies will streamline planning and integration. The partnership emerges as data centers command an increasing share of commercial construction spending, projected to account for about 32% of new commercial construction in the United States this year. This development follows earlier initiatives, including a 2022 UK government grant to Rolls-Royce for Small Modular Reactor facilities. AtkinsRéalis' British subsidiary Atkins is also a key delivery partner for The Line mega city component of NEOM.