A group that includes Deep Atomic and Parker Tide said this week it has submitted a proposal to the Department of Energy for a fully integrated nuclear-powered artificial intelligence (AI) data center at its Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
Deep Atomic, the Austin-Texas-based small modular reactor (SMR) startup, proposes to initially start data center operations using a combination of INL’s existing grid power, geothermal and solar power, according to its Nov. 30 press release. Starting with non-nuclear sources will enable data center operations to begin within 24 – 36 months, Deep Atomic said.
The phased approach will enable Deep Atomic’s MK60 SMR to proceed through design certification, fabrication and commissioning, the company added. The MK60 SMR is a light water reactor with an output of 60 megawatts of electricity and 60 megawatts of integrated cooling capacity.
The project is being developed by a consortium that includes Parker Tide, Clayco, Paragon Energy Solutions and Moonlite AI, according to the release.
Parker Tide, a Washington, DC-based business consulting and services company, contributed to Deep Atomic’s proposal to DOE, according to the release.
If the proposal is approved, the companies said they expect the INL project to serve as a national demonstration site for nuclear-powered AI infrastructure, according to the release. It would provide a replicable model for federal campuses, national labs, cloud providers and private operators, Deep Atomic added.
Deep Atomic, founded in 2023, announced in October 2024 that it had begun developing an SMR specifically made for data centers. The company entered into the pre-application process for design certification for its MK60 SMR with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March.