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

HGP Intelligent Energy, a Texas-based firm, has proposed repurposing two retired U.S. Navy nuclear reactors for an AI data center project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The company aims to use these reactors to provide 450 to 520 megawatts of power. If approved, this would be the first time a military reactor is repurposed for civilian use, with an estimated project cost of $1.8 to $2.1 billion. This initiative is seen as a more cost-effective and sustainable alternative compared to building new nuclear power plants.