NVIDIA to consider data centres at former German nuclear sites

PreussenElektra - a subsidiary of EOn Group - is responsible for the decommissioning and dismantling of eight nuclear power plants in Germany. All of the company's plants have now been decommissioned and are in various stages of dismantling. The company's strategy is to repurpose the sites of its former nuclear power plants for value-creating and future-proof uses.

The goal of the collaboration with NVIDIA is to align existing energy and site infrastructure, as well as available land, with the technical and operational requirements of high-performance AI data centres. Power plant sites generally offer good prerequisites for such projects: large industrial areas, high-performance grid connections, and established infrastructure. PreussenElektra contributes its knowledge of the land, infrastructure, and general conditions to the site assessment. As a technology partner, NVIDIA will specifically evaluate the requirements for AI factories and potential technical site concepts. Based on this, both companies aim to determine which locations and under what conditions further development is feasible.

PreussenElektra stressed that the review is open-ended. "It represents a first step in assessing the technical, infrastructural, economic, and regulatory prerequisites for potential projects," it said. "It does not currently entail any concrete investment or location decisions."

"Our former power plant sites possess valuable industrial infrastructure and offer prospects for new, future-oriented uses," said Guido Knott, Chairman of the Management Board of PreussenElektra. "Together with NVIDIA, we want to thoroughly examine whether and how these conditions can be used for AI factories. In doing so, we are combining the responsible reuse of our sites with new economic impetus for the regions."

Markus Hacker, senior regional director at NVIDIA, added: "AI factories depend on a reliable energy supply, suitable sites, and high-performance infrastructure. Former industrial sites offer ideal conditions for this and could play a key role in the next generation of data centres. Together with PreussenElektra, we will examine the extent to which their sites meet the technical and operational requirements of AI factories and can thus contribute to building a high-performance AI infrastructure in Germany."

The former Biblis nuclear power plant in the German state of Hesse has already been named as the site for establishing a laser-based nuclear fusion power plant by 2035.