Energy Northwest, a power company in the state of Washington, has hired Montreal-headquartered engineer AtkinsRéalis to be owner’s engineer in a project to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) for Amazon data centres.
In October, Energy Northwest revealed an agreement with Amazon to develop SMRs with nuclear technology company X-energy.
Amazon agreed to fund the feasibility study for the project.
The SMRs would be X-energy’s Xe-100 design, a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that can provide 80 megawatts of full-time electricity.
They would be sited near Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station, a nuclear power plant near the city of Richland.
Energy Northwest and X-energy have been working on the Xe-100 since 2020.
Amazon would then buy electricity from the first four units, which together would generate 320MW.
Energy Northwest has the option to add up to eight more reactors for a total generating capacity of 960MW, available to Amazon and its other customers.
The company has begun a multi-year feasibility study with Amazon, looking into environmental, safety, permitting, licensing and risk issues.
“The future of clean energy must include nuclear power and AtkinsRéalis and Energy Northwest are uniquely positioned to make this vision become a reality,” said AtkinsRéalis nuclear president, Joe St. Julian.
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