Publication date:
August 19, 2025
Small Modular Reactor Developer Secures $100 Million for Data Center Nuclear Power Solutions
Austin-based Aalo Atomics completed a $100 million Series B funding round to develop mass-manufactured nuclear reactors designed specifically for data center applications. The company's modular approach targets the growing energy demands of AI infrastructure with factory-built reactors capable of powering individual data centers.
Energy
The intersection of artificial intelligence expansion and energy infrastructure has created a significant market opportunity for innovative nuclear power solutions. Aalo Atomics has positioned itself at the forefront of this trend by developing small modular reactors specifically engineered for data center deployment, moving away from traditional large-scale nuclear facilities toward distributed, purpose-built power generation.
The company's flagship product, the Aalo Pod, represents a departure from conventional nuclear power plant design philosophy. Each unit is designed to generate sufficient electricity for approximately 50,000 homes or power a single data center facility. This modular approach allows for factory manufacturing and on-site assembly, potentially reducing construction timelines and standardizing safety protocols compared to traditional nuclear projects.
Regulatory momentum supports the small modular reactor sector, with the Department of Energy selecting Aalo among ten companies for its Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program. The initiative aims to accelerate testing of advanced reactor designs and facilitate deployment beyond national laboratory settings. Aalo's experimental facility, Aalo-X, is scheduled for completion at Idaho National Laboratory by 2026, providing crucial operational data for commercial deployment.
Market dynamics favor nuclear solutions for data center operators facing unprecedented power demands from AI workloads. Major technology companies have increasingly explored nuclear partnerships to ensure reliable baseload power for their expanding infrastructure requirements. Aalo's strategy focuses on customers willing to pay premium rates for accelerated deployment timelines, particularly cloud service providers with aggressive data center expansion plans.
The company's long-term pricing targets of three cents per kilowatt hour could significantly impact energy economics, though current pricing remains above this benchmark. With national average electricity costs at approximately 13 cents per kilowatt hour, achieving the target price point would provide substantial competitive advantages for data center operators while potentially reshaping broader energy market dynamics through manufacturing scale and operational efficiency improvements.
The company's flagship product, the Aalo Pod, represents a departure from conventional nuclear power plant design philosophy. Each unit is designed to generate sufficient electricity for approximately 50,000 homes or power a single data center facility. This modular approach allows for factory manufacturing and on-site assembly, potentially reducing construction timelines and standardizing safety protocols compared to traditional nuclear projects.
Regulatory momentum supports the small modular reactor sector, with the Department of Energy selecting Aalo among ten companies for its Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program. The initiative aims to accelerate testing of advanced reactor designs and facilitate deployment beyond national laboratory settings. Aalo's experimental facility, Aalo-X, is scheduled for completion at Idaho National Laboratory by 2026, providing crucial operational data for commercial deployment.
Market dynamics favor nuclear solutions for data center operators facing unprecedented power demands from AI workloads. Major technology companies have increasingly explored nuclear partnerships to ensure reliable baseload power for their expanding infrastructure requirements. Aalo's strategy focuses on customers willing to pay premium rates for accelerated deployment timelines, particularly cloud service providers with aggressive data center expansion plans.
The company's long-term pricing targets of three cents per kilowatt hour could significantly impact energy economics, though current pricing remains above this benchmark. With national average electricity costs at approximately 13 cents per kilowatt hour, achieving the target price point would provide substantial competitive advantages for data center operators while potentially reshaping broader energy market dynamics through manufacturing scale and operational efficiency improvements.