SMRTR Science & EngineeringJul 2, 2026Interesting Engineering

First time in US: Next-gen nuclear reactor generates electricity to power Nvidia chip

SMRTR summary

California-based Valar Atomics made history by powering an Nvidia Blackwell AI chip using its Ward 250 next-generation nuclear reactor — the first such demonstration in the US. The two companies also announced plans to build a 30-megawatt, water-free computing facility combining Valar's gas-cooled reactor with Nvidia's closed-loop cooling system, potentially addressing data centers' growing energy and water consumption challenges. No next-generation reactors are yet commercially certified in the US.

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