Amazon to fund 12 small nuclear reactors at former Indiana coal plant
Reusing the old coal plant is the smartest part of this deal. Those sites come with transmission access, cooling infrastructure, and a local community already comfortable with industrial power generation, which solves some of the hardest problems a new nuclear build faces.
A dozen small modular reactors is a serious commitment on paper. Amazon has been signing nuclear deals across the country, and this one with X-energy adds nearly a gigawatt of capacity. It's a clear indication of how far the hyperscalers will go to secure firm, dispatchable power for AI data centers, which can't run on intermittent solar alone.
The open question is execution. SMR designs have a long history of slipping schedules, and the supply chain for nuclear components has been dormant for decades. Amazon's checkbook helps, but it doesn't compress regulatory review or manufacturing capacity. I'd want to see a firm delivery timeline and milestones before calling this a win. The ambition is real, but the proof will be in when electrons actually hit the grid.