Commercial, Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions  -  October 21, 2024

Amazon Invests in Washington, Virginia Nuclear Reactors

Tech giant Amazon invested in two more locations that will produce nuclear power.

In Washington, the company signed an agreement with Energy Northwest, a consortium of state public utilities, that will enable the development of four advanced Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The 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.

These projects will help meet the forecasted energy needs of the Pacific Northwest beginning in the early 2030s.

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. 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 continues to invest in renewables while also finding additional sources of carbon-free energy that can both help power its operations and bring new sources of energy to the grid, including nuclear power.

SMRs are an advanced kind of nuclear reactor with a smaller physical footprint, allowing them to be built closer to the grid. They also have faster build times than traditional reactors, allowing them to come online sooner.

“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,” said Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), in a statement. “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.”

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