Oklo, Vertiv team up on data centre power and cooling

California-based liquid metal fast reactor developer Oklo and Vertiv will collaborate on modular, energy-efficient power and cooling solutions and reference designs developed specifically to support data centres driven by nuclear power.

The aim of the collaboration, Oklo said, is to "revolutionise data centre operations through an integrated solution that co-optimises power and cooling, with Oklo's reliable clean energy generation and Vertiv's specifically designed advanced power and thermal management systems. By leveraging heat from Oklo's onsite power plant to drive Vertiv's cooling systems, the collaboration will significantly enhance data center energy efficiency".

The Aurora powerhouse is a fast neutron reactor that uses heat pipes to transport heat from the reactor core to a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system to generate electricity. It uses metallic fuel to produce about 15 MWe as well as producing usable heat, and can operate on fuel made from fresh HALEU or used nuclear fuel.

The partners will work together to produce end-to-end reference designs for data centres that use Oklo's onsite power plants. The pilot technology demonstration is planned for the first commercial Aurora advanced fission power plant, to be built at the Idaho National Laboratory. Commercial operation is targeted for late 2027 to early 2028.

"By co-designing energy and thermal management from the beginning, and by deploying at a site adjacent to customer demand, Oklo and Vertiv will deliver a unified solution that simplifies deployment and enables improved performance and energy efficiency of data centres," Oklo said. 

"This agreement is about delivering clean power, energy-efficient cooling, and infrastructure solutions purpose-built for AI factories, data centres, and high density compute," said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. "We are developing a plant concept that leverages proven, off-the-shelf components without altering the core design of our plants. Vertiv is an expert in cooling and power innovation for data centres and critical infrastructure, so co-designing these solutions from the outset, we can create greater value and efficiency for data centre and infrastructure operators."

Vertiv CEO Gio Albertazzi added: "Our collaboration with Oklo is an extension of Vertiv's commitment to energy-efficient infrastructure that supports modern data centre demands. As the demand for AI and high-performance computing continues to grow, nuclear energy is increasingly a discussion point for hyperscale, colocation, and other large data centres. Vertiv is committed to driving innovation with the higher cooling capacities and energy efficiencies required to support modern data centres."