Google makes billion-dollar energy move that could reshape household power bills: 'Safe, affordable, and clean'

Behind hydropower, nuclear energy is the second-largest source of low-carbon electricity in the world, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that as of August 2023, there were 93 operating nuclear reactors at 54 sites in 28 states.

Google is about to add three more to that list.

Through nuclear site developer Elementl Power, Google will fund the project and plans to add 600 megawatts of generating capacity at all three sites, as reported by TechCrunch.

While the development company has yet to develop any power plants, its experience and understanding of the nuclear power industry make Elementl well-suited for such an ambitious and beneficial project.

The project will rely on small modular reactors, which are nuclear reactors smaller than typical commercial ones in size and output. There are currently no SMRs outside of China, but developers in the United States are attracted to them for their cost-effectiveness, short construction times, and nonexistent carbon output.

This initiative by Google and Elementl will financially benefit consumers whose electricity is sourced from nuclear power. The World Nuclear Association said nuclear plants are expensive to build but cheap to run. Because of this, consumers pay less for nuclear energy than they do for energy sourced from polluting fossil fuels.

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Free energy is a dream, but it is entirely possible. When consumers use nuclear power as well as solar panels, their energy bills can drop to near $0. EnergySage, a solar energy consumer resource, simplifies the process of going solar. The company compares quotes for consumers and can potentially save them up to $10,000.

Clean energy can be a money-saver, giving consumers more finances for other essentials. This collaboration between Google and Elementl will benefit the planet and the economy.

In a press release, Elementl Power Chairman and CEO Chris Colbert said: "Innovative partnerships like this are necessary to mobilize the capital required to build new nuclear projects, which are critical to deliver safe, affordable and clean baseload power, and help companies advance their long-term net zero goals."

Amanda Peterson Corio, the global head of data center energy at Google, said in the same release: "Google is committed to catalyzing projects that strengthen the power grids where we operate, and advanced nuclear technology provides reliable, baseload, 24/7 energy."