SMRs are emerging as a serious answer to the power hungry AI-driven data-centre growth. A small modular reactor is a compact, factory-built nuclear power unit which delivers steady, carbon-free electricity with faster, modular construction. SMRs are safer and easier to deploy than traditional large reactors.
Investment is expected to increase from about $5B/year today to ~$25B/year by 2030, with forecasts of up to ~$900B in cumulative SMR spending by 2050.
Big tech and major operators are already signing nuclear-power deals in multiple countries:
– In the U.S., Google with Kairos Power/TVA, Amazon Web Services with X‑energy and Energy Northwest, Equinix with Oklo and Rolls‑Royce SMR;
– In Europe, DATA4 with Westinghouse Electric, and partnerships in the UK (Holtec/EDF/Tritax) and the Czech Republic (ČEZ with Rolls-Royce SMR) to deploy SMRs;
– And in broader global markets such as Poland, Romania and Canada, SMR deals and frameworks are already in place.
Across these various contracts, frameworks and investment commitments, the total value committed so far is at least USD 10 billion, with additional national-level investment pledges and industrial policy packages pushing the figure substantially higher toward tens of billions
These versatile power generators provide dedicated, co-located, long-term power sources for hyperscale campuses in the 2030s and beyond.
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