Amazon’s Eastern Oregon Data Centers To Run On Nuclear Energy

Amazon announced last week that it had reached an agreement with several energy companies to develop and build small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to add to the energy mix in its data centers along the Columbia River in Umatilla and Morrow counties.

The plant is earmarked for southeast Washington state and has brought the debate over nuclear power to the fore.

Energy Demand Has Increased In Amazon’s Oregon Data Centers

Amazon data centers in northern Morrow and western Umatilla counties have been developed over ten years to serve its cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services.

With abundant land available, access to cheap hydroelectric power, and generous tax breaks, Amazon has more recently played a bigger role in the community with initiatives such as educational labs in Boardman, the city of Umatilla, and the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

See also: Oregon Could Face Huge Demands on its Power Supply Grid by High-Tech Companies

With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, Amazon and other companies are facing rising energy costs.

Partly due to AI, the International Energy Agency predicts global data center energy consumption will double from 2022 to 2026. High energy usage by data centers could affect everyone as it may pressure utilities to raise their rates.

Oregon has a long-standing ban on new nuclear reactors making it difficult for Amazon to access this source of renewable energy that contributes to decarbonizing the energy grid. Amazon stated that SMRs would help the company meet its ultimate goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Amazon To Build Nuclear Reactors For Energy Needs In Washington

Amazon has reached an agreement with several companies that will build four reactors that will eventually produce enough energy to power the equivalent of 770,000 homes, almost double the number of homes in Umatilla and Morrow counties and the Tri-Cities region of Washington combined.

The company is tracking the efforts of the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners who recently hired a law firm to draft legislation that would allow for an SMR pilot project in the county.

Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman said transitioning our society to carbon-free energy sources is one of the quickest ways to address climate change. Amazon is investing in nuclear because it is carbon-free and able to scale to generate energy for decades to come.

SMR advocates said these units can deliver a lot of carbon-free power without the safety concerns associated with larger nuclear reactors.

But Oregon voters effectively banned building reactors in 1980 pending a federal government nuclear waste site being developed. Although a Portland company planned to build SMRs in Idaho, it was scuppered by legislation.

Amazon partner, Energy Northwest, confirmed Amazon will hold electricity purchasing rights to the reactors it is building, with the option of a further eight SMRs for Amazon as well as to enable northwest utilities to power homes and businesses.

While SMR advocates say nuclear is a safe path, some people in the state remain opposed to it.