Deep Fission, a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) developer, has partnered with Endeavour Energy, a US sustainable infrastructure developer, to develop and deploy its technology at scale.
As per the agreement, the partners have committed to co-developing 2GW of nuclear energy to supply Endeavour's global portfolio of data centers which operate under the Endeavour Edged brand. The first reactors are expected to be operational by 2029.
"There is significant momentum for nuclear power right now, but the cost is still a challenge,” said Elizabeth Muller, CEO of Deep Fission. “Our technology not only ensures the highest levels of safety but also positions us to deliver zero-carbon continuous power at a cost of just 5-7 cents per kWh,” she continued.
The Deep Fission Borehole Reactor 1 (DFBR-1) is a pressurized water reactor (PWR) that produces 15MWt (thermal) and 5MWe (electric) and has an estimated fuel cycle of between ten to 20 years.
It is designed to be placed in a 30-inch borehole, using deep geology to provide pressurization and containment, which, according to the company, will increase security and lower costs.
The reactor can be placed up to one mile deep, where its hydrostatic pressure is similar to the pressure found in standard PWRs. As a result, DFBR-1 will not have thick-walled pressurization vessels.
The company claims that nuclear containment is achieved through geology and that even if fully-spent fuel is released, there will be no significant radioactive danger to the public or contamination of aquifers.
The reactor is designed to be retrieved by permanently attached cables. According to Deep Fission, it can be replaced by a new reactor in a nearby borehole or the same borehole at a slightly shallower depth.
Deep Fission plans to release white papers throughout the regulatory approval process for discussion direction on key issues surrounding the SMR.
“Deep Fission’s solution slashes the high costs and long timelines of surface-built nuclear projects, enhances safety, and delivers clean, reliable energy with high power density of more than 100MW in a quarter acre. We’re excited to play a pivotal role in advancing this transformative approach," Jakob Carnemark, founder of Endeavour and Edged data centers said.
Based in Berkley, California, Deep Fission was founded in 2023. In August last year, it announced a $4 million pre-seed funding round to accelerate efforts in hiring, regulatory approval, and the commercialization of its SMR.
Edged, Endeavour’s data center arm, will be the primary beneficiary of the power produced by DFBR-1.
The company, which was formed in 2021, has data centers across the US and the Iberian peninsula, with facilities in operation or development in Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, and across the US, including Missouri, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, and Illinois.
The company specializes in data centers built for high-density artificial intelligence, which utilize a waterless cooling system.
Over the past 12 months, SMRs have gained significant traction in the data center industry, with several major hyperscalers committing to SMR developers.
In October, AWS signed three agreements with Energy Northwest, X-Energy, and Dominion Virginia to support the deployment of more than 600MW of power across Washington and Virginia.
Before this, Google signed a corporate agreement to purchase nuclear energy from multiple SMRs from Karios Power, with an expected deployment date in 2030.
The year culminated in data center developer Switch signing a non-binding agreement to purchase up to 12GW of power from SMR firm Oklo through 2044.
The agreement was Oklo’s fifth with a data center company in 2024, and now has a customer pipeline exceeding 14GW of power.
