Oklo, an advanced nuclear technology company, has announced a partnership with Vertiv to develop integrated power and thermal management solutions for hyperscale and colocation data centers. The collaboration will utilize steam and electricity from Oklo’s advanced nuclear power plants to drive Vertiv’s power and cooling systems, with a pilot demonstration planned for Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse.
According to the announcement, the joint solution will use heat from Oklo’s onsite reactor to operate Vertiv’s thermal management equipment, aiming to enhance energy efficiency for data centers supporting artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing. Oklo and Vertiv also plan to create end-to-end reference designs for data centers that colocate with Oklo’s power plants.
Jacob DeWitte, Co-Founder and CEO of Oklo, stated, “This agreement is about delivering clean power, energy-efficient cooling, and infrastructure solutions purpose-built for AI factories, data centers, and high density compute,” said DeWitte. “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 centers and critical infrastructure, so co-designing these solutions from the outset, we can create greater value and efficiency for data center 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 center 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 centers. Vertiv is committed to driving innovation with the higher cooling capacities and energy efficiencies required to support modern data centers.”
The companies report that by integrating energy and thermal management from the outset and siting generation adjacent to data center demand, the partnership intends to simplify deployment and increase operational flexibility. Oklo notes that its role as the operator and owner of its power plants allows for deeper system integration and may offer improved performance for data center customers.
