Crusoe and Aalo Atomics have announced a partnership to create the world’s first AI factory powered by small modular nuclear reactors (XMR).
The pilot data center for Crusoe’s cloud service, Crusoe Spark, is set to launch in 2027 at the Idaho National Laboratory. The project aims to demonstrate the suitability of nuclear power for AI workloads.
By the end of 2029, the partners plan to deploy Aalo Pods and 50 MW XMR power plants at Crusoe data centers.
Aalo Atomics CEO Matt Loshak stated that the company has already begun work on a second reactor near the 10 MW test Aalo-X in Idaho. The commercial-scale system being developed will generate electricity for Crusoe Spark.
Loshak also noted that Aalo is among four companies to achieve criticality for their reactor within the timeframe set by the U.S. Department of Energy’s DOE Reactor Pilot Program. TheEnergyMag pointed out that this status does not yet equate to commercial use approval.
The publication also highlighted Crusoe’s plans to expand its campus in Goodnight, Texas, by constructing two additional buildings at a cost of approximately $1 billion. According to an application to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the first building is expected to be completed by August 1, and the second by March 2027.
In total, the facility will include at least six buildings, with the first phase requiring up to 530 MW of power.
Earlier, researchers from Floodlight found that data center developers in Texas used simplified permits to begin building their own power plants without public discussion of environmental impacts.
