Retired Navy Nuclear Reactors From Warships Could Power AI Data Centers in Tennessee

AI data centers may soon be powered by retired Navy nuclear reactors from aircraft carriers and submarines -- firm asks U.S. DOE for a loan guarantee to start the project

Texas-based HGP Intelligent Energy sent a proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to repurpose two retired U.S. Navy nuclear reactors for use in an AI data center project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, under President Donald Trump's Genesis Mission. Bloomberg says that the company aims to use two old reactors to deliver 450 to 520 megawatts of power, but did not confirm where they would come from. At the moment, the U.S. Navy uses Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors to power Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carriers (CVNs) and General Electric S8G reactors for the Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs). The USS Nimitz, which entered service in 1975, is already on its last deployment before entering retirement, while nearly a third of Los Angeles-class SSNs, which first started patrols in 1976, have already been decommissioned and withdrawn from service. The World Nuclear Association reports that the U.S. Navy has operated more than 100 nuclear reactors for over 50 years without any radiologic accidents, including the aforementioned types, demonstrating their reliability. If granted, this will be the first time a military reactor has been repurposed for civilian use. This move is expected to cost between $1 million to $4 million per megawatt -- although this might seem steep, this is still a fraction of the cost of building an entirely new nuclear power plant or the various small modular reactors being proposed by tech giants like Amazon, Meta, Oracle, Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia. Aside from being more affordable than a completely new build, it would also give a second life to these retired reactors, which would otherwise be just disposed of at DOE's Hanford Site. The company plans to file for a loan guarantee from the Energy Department, with the entire project expected to cost $1.8 to $2.1 billion. This includes preparing the infrastructure needed to reactivate and convert the reactors for use in data centers. Once operational, HGP Intelligent Energy says it will have a revenue-sharing program with the government and establish a decommissioning fund. The latter is especially crucial as dealing with retired nuclear materials is insanely expensive, with the dismantling of the U.S.'s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier costing over ten times more compared to its last conventional super carrier. "We already know how to do this safely and at scale," says HGP chief executive Gregory Forero. "And we're fortunate to have a solid base of investors and partners who share that vision."

AI data centers may run on nuclear reactors from retired Navy aircraft carriers and submarines

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Forward-looking: As more AI data centers are built and power demands increase, companies are looking toward unconventional means of supplying the required juice. One firm has proposed using the nuclear reactors from retired US Navy aircraft carriers and submarines to power an AI data center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Texas-based HGP Intelligent Energy has sent a proposal to the US Department of Energy about using two former US Navy reactors to provide between 450 and 520 megawatts of constant power. The Navy uses A4W reactors made by Westinghouse Electric Co. for its Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carriers (CVNs), and S6G-class units made by General Electric for the Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs). The USS Nimitz is on its last deployment before entering retirement, while almost a third of Los Angeles-class SSNs have already been decommissioned. The proposal claims that repurposing the reactors would cost around $1 million to $4 million per megawatt, which is still a fraction of what it would cost to build a nuclear power plant or a small modular reactor. HGP says that the reactors could be adapted to provide electricity as the grid struggles with rising demand and prices driven by AI use. Bloomberg reports that HGP's plan would involve a revenue-sharing scheme with the government. The company would also create a decommissioning fund. The entire project is expected to cost $1.8 billion to $2.1 billion, and the company plans to file for a loan guarantee from the Energy Department. HGP also argues that reusing naval reactors could dramatically shorten deployment timelines compared to building new nuclear facilities from scratch, which often take more than a decade to permit and construct. Because the reactors were already designed, built, and operated under strict military standards, the company believes regulatory approval could be faster, though it would still require extensive oversight from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. The reactors would be removed from decommissioned vessels and installed in a hardened, land-based facility near Oak Ridge, an area with deep nuclear expertise and existing infrastructure. HGP claims the setup could deliver decades of stable, carbon-free baseload power - an increasingly valuable commodity as AI data centers push grid demand to new highs. The idea is raising some concerns. Critics point to challenges around transporting and refitting aging reactors, managing nuclear waste, and ensuring long-term safety and security. There are also political and public perception hurdles, particularly around repurposing military nuclear assets for commercial use.

US' retired nuclear reactors from warships could power AI data centers

A power company in the United States is planning to make use of retired nuclear reactors from the Navy's aircraft carriers and submarines for a data center project proposed at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The step by HGP Intelligent Energy LLC is aimed at securing the massive amounts of energy for the artificial intelligence boom. For this, the company has approached the the Energy Department. The move is expected to produce about 450-520 megawatts of around-the-clock electricity. This could be helpful to fulfil the power needs of almost 360,000 homes. The company argues that these reactors, which were originally designed to deliver reliable, long-lasting energy in demanding military environments, could be adapted to provide steady, carbon-free baseload electricity for data centers at a time when traditional grids are under strain. According to the proposal, a small number of these reactors could collectively generate several hundred US aircraft carriers and submarines are each equipped with two reactors: A4W units made by Westinghouse Electric Co. or S8G-class units made by General Electric. Rewiring two of them would cost about $1 million to $4 million per megawatt, a fraction of building new reactor, according to the proposal. HGP's plan includes a revenue share with the government, and the company would create a decommissioning fund, reported Bloomberg. According to the proposal, a small number of these reactors could collectively generate several hundred megawatts of power, enough to support energy-intensive computing facilities while reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The plan is being explored in coordination with the U.S. Department of Energy and would likely rely on federal financial support, such as loan guarantees, alongside significant private investment to cover the costs of relocation, refurbishment, and regulatory compliance. Supporters see the concept as a potential shortcut compared with building entirely new nuclear plants, which often face long construction timelines and high costs. The proposal reflects a growing trend in which technology companies and energy developers are reconsidering nuclear power -- alongside renewables -- as a way to supply reliable, low-emission electricity for the expanding digital economy, even as questions remain about practicality, cost, and oversight. The idea has also attracted skepticism from experts, who point out that naval reactors are optimized for propulsion rather than grid power, use highly enriched fuel that raises regulatory and security concerns, and would require extensive redesign and safety review before they could operate in a civilian context.

Texas developer pitches recycled Navy nuclear reactors as power source for AI infrastructure - SiliconANGLE

Texas developer pitches recycled Navy nuclear reactors as power source for AI infrastructure A Texas power developer is proposing to use repurposed retired U.S. Navy nuclear reactors from aircraft carriers and submarines to supply continuous power to large-scale artificial intelligence data centers. The proposal comes from HGP Intelligent Energy LLC, which, according to filings with the U.S. Department of Energy, is asking for a loan guarantee under the federal government's energy financing programs to help launch what it calls the "CoreHeld Project." The proposal would see two decommissioned naval reactors deployed at a dedicated data center campus near Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, the home of the Manhattan Project and today the largest multi-program science and technology lab in the U.S. The reactors HGP has its eyes on are naval pressurized water reactors that have been used to power U.S. aircraft carriers and submarines for decades. The reactors, built by companies including Westinghouse Electric Co. and General Electric Co., are designed for long operational lifetimes and have a record of safe use within the U.S. Navy. The reactors would produce around 450 and 520 megawatts of baseload power, enough to support intensive AI training and inference workloads that require constant, predictable electricity. HGP estimates the project would cost $1.8 billion to $2.1 billion, which works out to roughly $1 million to $4 million per megawatt. The figures, if accurate, work out significantly lower than the equivalent cost of building a new nuclear plant or a small modular reactor. In theory and likely in practice, it shouldn't be too difficult to reposition the reactors for civilian electricity generation, but the problem arises with regulations that were not designed with provisions to recycle naval nuclear reactors. One core regulatory issue is that naval reactors typically use highly enriched fuel and are engineered as sealed systems, which means they do not align neatly with existing Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing frameworks for commercial power plants. HGP, though, is confident it can make the proposal happen. "We already know how to do this safely and at scale and we're fortunate to have a solid base of investors and partners who share that vision," said Gregory Forero, chief executive officer of HGP, in a statement to Bloomberg. The proposal reflects growing pressure on the U.S. power grid as AI workloads drive rapid expansion of hyperscale data centers. Cloud providers and infrastructure operators are increasingly exploring nuclear energy as a source of carbon-free, always-on power, with recent interest spanning traditional reactors, small modular reactors and long-term power purchase agreements tied to nuclear facilities. Companies exploring and developing nuclear power solutions to power AI data centers are also gaining increasing attention from venture capital. In November, X-energy Reactor Co., a startup developing miniature nuclear reactors, raised $700 million in funding, while on Dec. 18, Radiant Industries Inc., a startup developing portable, mass-produced nuclear microreactors, raised more than $300 million.