Clayco backs historic DOE bid for nuclear-powered data center campus | Dump Trucks Charlotte NC

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Columbus Ohio Dump Truck Company Brief:

• Clayco could soon be digging on the site of the first fully integrated nuclear-powered data center in the U.S., according to a Feb. 12 news release from the Chicago-based general contractor.
• A multidisciplinary consortium, led by Swiss-American energy columbus oh dump truck company Deep Atomic, submitted proposals to the Department of Energy to pair advanced nuclear energy with hyperscale data center construction. One proposal includes a campus at the Idaho National Laboratory, where Clayco would advise on construction phasing and sequencing.
• The project underscores a growing trend of data center developers looking for alternative forms of energy to power builds. If approved, the project could serve as an example for more nuclear-powered artificial intelligence infrastructure, according to Clayco.

Dump Trucks Columbus OH Insight:

Pending DOE approval, Clayco would roll out the project in phases. The general contractor would build the data center facility first, which would initially be powered by existing grid, geothermal and solar power, according to a Clayco statement shared with Construction Dive. 

Deep Atomic would then incorporate its MK60 Small Modular Reactor into the campus following the vertical build, according to the statement. Clayco expects this to serve as a demonstration for how nuclear-powered artificial intelligence infrastructure could be deployed across the country.

“We believe this project could serve as a blueprint for providing data centers with the clean, scalable power that increased AI use requires,” said the Clayco statement. “The implementation of these types of SMRs will see increased adoption going forward.”

Clayco will also advise the consortium on infrastructure integration. That includes aligning design and construction approaches with the requirements of these high-density AI workloads when operational, according to the release.

AI infrastructure projects will cause an anticipated 15% spike in electricity demand by 2030, according to Clayco. To keep up with that demand, more developers are looking for alternate energy sources to power data centers.

“This growing need necessitates the utilization of alternative power sources to maintain grid stability,” according to the Clayco statement. “It also presents a pivotal moment for U.S. power infrastructure to enhance its reliance on clean energy sources including nuclear, enabling greater sustainability in this critical sector of American development.”

Clayco currently has 57 active data center projects under construction across the United States, the contractor shared with Construction Dive. That hands-on experience in the sector made Clayco uniquely qualified to support Deep Atomic’s construction goals, the firm said.

“Successful DOE submissions require more than innovative energy concepts — they require confidence that projects can be delivered safely, efficiently, and at scale,” said Bob Clark, executive chairman and founder of Clayco, in the release.