Equinix signs up for power from first Stellaria reactor

The agreement between Stellaria and Equinix is part of several Equinix initiatives in the field of alternative energy. In August, the company announced collaborations with five energy providers, including Stellaria in France, to support the growth of its AI-ready data centres.

The Stellarium reactor proposed by Stellaria - a spin-off from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) - will be very compact (measuring 4 cubic metres) and will be able to use a diversified range of nuclear fuels (uranium, plutonium, MOX, minor actinides, even thorium). Stellaria says the reactor is "the world's first reactor to operate with a liquid fuel capable of destroying more waste than it produces".

"We chose Stellaria because it is one of the few companies in the world capable of making our high-performance AI data centres energy resilient, while combining high security and flexibility," said Régis Castagne, Managing Director, Equinix France.

"Their Stellariums natively generate 250 MWe of clean energy and uniquely consume their own waste, eliminating the need for on-site storage and addressing a major operational challenge. This breakthrough will allow Equinix to operate with secure, carbon-free energy 24/7. It represents a major step forward in building the next generation of sustainable digital infrastructure."

California-headquartered Equinix operates more than 270 data centres in 77 major metropolitan areas around the world. Equinix data centres are currently covered by 100% renewable energy in Europe, and the company is investing significantly in renewable energy power purchase agreements in France. The company is now expanding its energy portfolio to support the development of reliable and sustainable nuclear electricity to power its high-performance AI data centres with Stellaria.

"The signing of this first contract is an important milestone for Stellaria. It sends a strong signal to the sector and proves that our roadmap is credible, with the deployment of our Stellariums planned for 2035. The digital sector is fully engaged in the sustainability to reduce environmental impact: this contract lays the foundation for lifetime energy autonomous data centres, and we are proud to support a major player like Equinix in this project," said Stellaria CEO Nicolas Breyton.

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) use molten fluoride salts as primary coolant, at low pressure. They may operate with epithermal or fast neutron spectrums, and with a variety of fuels. Much of the interest today in reviving the MSR concept relates to using thorium (to breed fissile uranium-233), where an initial source of fissile material such as plutonium-239 needs to be provided. There are a number of different MSR design concepts, and a number of interesting challenges in the commercialisation of many, especially with thorium.