US TerraPower CEO: AI's power demand surge means SMRs are the new future

Chris Levesque, CEO of American company TerraPower, asserts that Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) represent the new future for global energy needs over the coming decades. He made these remarks at the construction site of the "Kemmerer Unit 1," the first commercial SMR in the United States, located in the small town of Kemmerer, Wyoming.

The 345 MW facility is being built at an elevation of 2,200 meters. Kemmerer, with a population of just 3,000, is gaining attention as a hub for next-generation nuclear technology. TerraPower, founded by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has SK Group as its second-largest shareholder, having invested $250 million in 2022.

Levesque highlighted the increasing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) as a key factor necessitating the shift to advanced technologies like SMRs. SMRs are considered easier and safer to build than traditional large-scale nuclear reactors, making them suitable for powering energy-intensive facilities such as large data centers located near demand centers.

The Kemmerer Unit 1 is slated to begin operations in 2031. The project aims to provide a stable and advanced energy source to meet the growing power requirements of the region and potentially beyond.