The partners showcased a microreactor powering Nvidia’s Blackwell AI chips, highlighting advanced nuclear technology as a low-water energy option for the rapidly growing AI data center industry.
Nvidia has teamed up with nuclear startup Valar Atomics to develop a small AI data center in Utah aimed at demonstrating how advanced nuclear technology can power computing facilities while significantly reducing water use.
The project, unveiled at Valar’s Utah microreactor site, included a live demonstration in which the company’s small nuclear reactor powered Nvidia’s latest Blackwell AI chip architecture. The companies said the event marked the first time a microreactor had supplied electricity to a data center.
Valar is among nearly 10 startups participating in the U.S. Department of Energy’s reactor pilot program, which seeks to bring three advanced small nuclear reactors to criticality by early July.
The collaboration comes as demand for AI infrastructure drives concerns over the massive electricity and water requirements of data centers. Nvidia recently introduced a closed-loop liquid cooling system for its latest data center design, saying the technology can reduce cooling water consumption from millions of gallons per megawatt annually to almost zero.
Growing public scrutiny over the environmental impact of data centers has also prompted technology companies to explore dedicated power sources outside the traditional electricity grid. While natural gas has dominated such projects, advanced nuclear reactors are increasingly being considered as a long-term solution.
The Trump administration has backed small modular reactors as part of its strategy to expand domestic power generation.
Valar said its helium-cooled, high-temperature microreactor is designed to simplify deployment and shorten construction timelines. The company has also challenged the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s oversight of certain microreactors, arguing that licensing authority for some advanced reactor designs should rest with individual states rather than federal regulators.
