Are Big Tech's Nuclear Construction Deals a Tipping Point for Small Modular Reactors?

Source: Slashdot

Overview

Fortune reports a “watershed moment” in the United States nuclear power industry.

Meta’s SMR Partnership

In January, Meta partnered with Bill Gates’ TerraPower and Sam Altman‑backed Oklo to develop about 4 GW of combined small modular reactor (SMR) projects—enough to power almost three million homes. The goal is “clean, reliable energy” for Meta’s planned Prometheus AI mega‑campus in Ohio and for broader use.

Industry Outlook

Analysts view Meta’s move as the start of more Big Tech nuclear‑construction deals, not just agreements with existing plants or restarts such as the now‑Microsoft‑backed Three Mile Island project.

“That was the first shot across the bow,” said Dan Ives, head of tech research for Wedbush Securities, of the Meta deals. “I would be shocked if every Big Tech company doesn’t make some play on nuclear in 2026, whether a strategic partnership or acquisitions.”

Ives noted that there are more data centers under construction than there are active data centers in the U.S. He added:

“I believe clean energy around nuclear is going to be the answer. I think 2030 is the key threshold to hit some sort of scale and begin the next nuclear era in the United States.”

Smaller SMR reactors can be built in as little as three years, compared with a decade for traditional large reactors. They can also be expanded one or two modules at a time to meet the growing energy demand from “hyperscalers,” the companies that build and operate data centers.

Perspectives from Oklo

Jacob DeWitte, chairman and CEO of Oklo, told Fortune that there is major risk if nuclear doesn’t happen, citing the need for emission‑free power and consistent baseload electricity to meet skyrocketing demand. He said:

“The hyperscalers, as the ultimate consumers of power, are looking at the space and seeing that the market is real. They can play a major role in helping make that happen.”

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