DOE looks at Savannah River Site as potential data center location

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The U.S. Department of Energy announced plans to help ensure America leads in Artificial intelligence (AI) and lower energy costs by co-locating data centers and new energy infrastructure on DOE lands.

They have identified 16 potential sites positioned for rapid data center construction, including in-place energy infrastructure with the ability to fast-track permitting for new energy generation such as nuclear.

One of the potential data center locations is the Savannah River Site.

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The National Nuclear Security istration (NNSA) operates a 310-square-mile site at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina, to supply and process tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen that is a key component of nuclear weapons.

The footprint of a data center is very small compared to the 310 square miles of the Savannah River Site. Therefore, a more detailed description of the site requirements is required to select the best locations. Savannah River Site requires submission of a site use permit application before allowing any activity on any tract of land on site.

“The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan project, and with President Trump’s leadership and the innovation of our National Labs, the United States can and will win,” said Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy. “With today’s action, the Department of Energy is taking important steps to leverage our domestic resources to power the AI revolution, while continuing to deliver affordable, reliable, and secure energy to the American people.”

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The Department is seeking input from data center developers, energy developers and the broader public to further advance this partnership. The information collected will be used to inform development, encourage private-public partnerships and enable the construction of AI infrastructure at select DOE sites with a target of commencing operation by the end of 2027.

You can find the details of the Savannah River Site involvement on page 40 of this document.