Benjamin Carr, Ph.D. 👨🏻‍💻🧬Oct 31, 2024
#Amazon Web Services (#AWS) group joins #Google in investing in small modular #nuclear power
What's with the sudden interest in nuclear power among tech titans?
Unlike Google's deal, which is a commitment to purchase power should the reactors ever be completed, Amazon will lay out some money upfront as part of the agreements. We'll take a look at the deals and technology that Amazon is backing before analyzing why companies are taking a risk on unproven technologies.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/10/amazon-the-latest-tech-giant-to-announce-investments-in-nuclear/
Amazon joins Google in investing in small modular nuclear power

Amazon is investing in small modular nuclear reactors. while they’re radiation safe, they’re a risky investment.

Ars Technica
Show threadThatcher UlrichNov 1, 2024
@BenjaminHCCarr I get that siting at an existing grid connection is a big advantage. What I don't get is why anyone believes SMR would be faster or cheaper than just cranking out more Vogtles. Really??
Show threadThatcher UlrichNov 1, 2024
@BenjaminHCCarr Doesn't every cost overrun postmortem since the beginning of time conclude that "the design was not mature enough before construction began, design changes were super expensive"?
Show threadThatcher Ulrich
@BenjaminHCCarr and large project consultant Paul Martin wrote this analysis that seems pretty convincing, saying scaling horizontally is very unlikely to be cheaper than scaling vertically: https://spitfireresearch.com/scaling-example-1-small-modular-nuclear-reactors/
Scaling Example #1: Small Modular Nuclear Reactors – Spitfire Research Inc.

Nov 1, 2024 at 3:06amWeb