AI on Nuclear Power: MEPhI and Rosatom Develop Reactors for Data Centres
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, working together with the Bolshoy MEPhI (Greater MEPhI) consortium and Rosatom State Corporation, has begun developing ultra-small nuclear reactors with capacities ranging from 5 MW to 50 MW. The reactors are intended specifically to provide autonomous power supplies for data centres.
The project was unveiled at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026, where Valery Romanyuk, MEPhI vice rector and president of the Bolshoy MEPhI consortium, presented the concept of independent power sources for digital infrastructure.
Energy Challenge of the Digital Economy
The project is designed to address one of the key challenges facing the global data centre industry. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data technologies has driven a multiple-fold increase in the power consumption of computing facilities.
Modern data centres built to support AI workloads require power on a megawatt scale, while their concentration in major urban areas is creating shortages of available electricity capacity.
The issue has also become increasingly relevant in Russia. In Moscow and other major metropolitan areas, available electrical capacity for new data centres is almost exhausted. Companies are being forced to look for sites beyond the largest urban regions, increasing infrastructure and logistics costs. This challenge has become the basis for an alternative solution – autonomous nuclear power sources.
Reactor as an Infrastructure Element
Ultra-small nuclear reactors with capacities of 5-50 MW occupy a middle ground between industrial-scale generating units and local power installations. Such reactors could supply electricity to individual data centres or entire clusters, creating an independent power system without the need to connect to large transmission networks.
The concept of nuclear-powered data centres is not entirely new for Rosatom. The state corporation has already been developing projects that locate data centres near nuclear power plants. The 48 MW Kalininsky Data Centre, launched in partnership with Rostelecom, is already in successful operation.
The ultra-small reactor project, however, proposes a different approach. Rather than relying on existing nuclear power plants, it calls for compact autonomous units that can be deployed directly alongside data centres. This would make it possible to establish computing capacity in regions where access to nuclear-generated electricity is currently unavailable.
Research and Educational Infrastructure
To support the project, MEPhI is establishing a dedicated organisational unit focused on power supply solutions and optimisation of data centre operations. The unit will concentrate not only on reactor technologies but also on related fields, including the use of artificial intelligence to optimise data centre energy consumption, the development of network infrastructure, and the integration of nuclear energy sources with computing facilities.
The Bolshoy MEPhI consortium serves as a platform for coordinating the efforts of the university and its industrial partners. The association includes major companies interested in developing integrated projects across the nuclear, quantum, and information technology sectors. This structure combines the university’s scientific expertise with industry requirements and Rosatom’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities.
MEPhI has historically specialised in training personnel for the nuclear industry and possesses expertise in nuclear technologies, thermal physics, and materials science. The consortium model makes it possible to involve not only academic researchers but also engineering teams from industrial enterprises.
Global Context
The concept of ultra-small reactors for data centres aligns with a broader global trend toward autonomous energy sources for digital infrastructure. Technology companies in the United States, China, and Europe are already exploring the use of small modular reactors to power data centres. Microsoft, Amazon, and other cloud computing companies view nuclear energy as a means of reducing carbon emissions while ensuring reliable power supplies.
The development of Russia’s domestic data centre infrastructure requires not only computing hardware and software, but also a reliable energy foundation.
From Concept to Deployment
A long path remains before industrial-scale units can be deployed, ranging from conceptual design and computer modelling to the construction of demonstration facilities and the acquisition of regulatory approvals. The nuclear sector is known for its conservative approach to the introduction of new technologies, particularly in the areas of safety and regulation.
The work on ultra-small reactors for data centres demonstrates how the nuclear industry is adapting to the demands of the digital economy.
