• Oklo and Vertiv announce partnership on power and cooling
• Deal targets energy‑efficient infrastructure for AI centres
What happened: Oklo and Vertiv build clean-energy AI data centre solution
Oklo, the nuclear reactor developer, signed an agreement with Vertiv to co-develop power and cooling systems for large AI and high-performance data centres. Oklo will supply steam and electricity from its compact Aurora reactors. Vertiv will engineer the thermal management systems tailored for these centres. The partners plan a pilot project at the Idaho National Laboratory. The goal is to integrate low-carbon nuclear energy with efficient cooling technologies.
Oklo’s CEO noted the partnership aims to support AI factories and high-density compute operations. Vertiv’s CEO added that rising AI and HPC demand makes nuclear an important power source. Both companies will co-design modular systems and reference designs for hyperscale and colocation data centres. The collaboration also seeks to reduce environmental impact by using energy from Oklo’s reactors to power the cooling system.
Also read: DOE identifies sites for AI data centres
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Why it’s important
This alliance addresses the rising energy needs of AI data centres by combining nuclear power with specialised cooling systems. Using Oklo’s reactors, which run at high reliability, may offer consistent power compared to variable renewables. The fusion of steam and electricity to drive cooling reduces carbon emissions and grid stress. The pilot could set a standard for similar projects globally, enabling on-site clean power use.
Banks of reactors and cooling units can deliver industrial-scale AI infrastructure. If successful, this model may influence future energy strategies in the tech sector. It could shift how data centre operators assess energy sourcing and cooling design. Adopting modular paired systems may lower operational costs and environmental impact while supporting AI growth.
