Its no secret that data centers consume untenable amounts of electricity, often to the detriment of their host areas. Bill Gates and his ilk are now investing in nuclear power as an alternative, a phenomena recently lampooned by Birds Arent Real founder Peter McIndoe and his Enron Egg, the worlds first (fake) at home nuclear reactor. Oklo is a California start-up at the forefront of emergent nuclear technology. The company has since gotten the green light from the U.S. Department of Energy to build its first small modular reactor (SMR) in Idaho, designed by Gensler. Oklos investors include Hydrazine Capital, founded by Sam Altman.The modular buildings can be deployed in a variety of environments. (Courtesy Gensler)Oklos Aurora Powerhouse will be sited at Idaho National Laboratory, but the modular building is designed to fit in a plethora of environments. It can generate enough power for about 15,000 homes, all with zero emissions, Gensler said. Each SMR has a 40-year estimated lifespan, and can run without refueling for up to ten years. Gensler opted for an A-frame structure for its functional and aesthetic benefits. The expansive floor-to-ceiling height allows for tall equipment, and its form makes it able to support an interior crane.Moreover, the look and feel is meant to help residents feel comfortable living near nuclear power plants, which have gotten bad reps since the 1980s. (Think: Chernobyl.)The A-frame structure allows for tall equipment. (Courtesy Gensler)SMRs are smaller, more versatile, and decentralized versions of traditional nuclear reactors. (Courtesy Gensler)In short, SMRs are smaller, more versatile, and decentralized versions of traditional nuclear reactors, like the Three Mile Island Plant in Pennsylvania, which had its own meltdown in 1979. They can generate low-carbon electricity without the same challenges often associated with large nuclear plants. SMRs can produce about one-third the capacity of traditional reactors, or 300 megawatts of electricity per day. Theyre also modular, which allows for them to be assembled in factories and transported on site, cutting construction time and costs.Oklo could soon provide energy for data centers in a range of locations. (Courtesy Gensler)The U.S. Department of Energy is increasingly interested in SMRs. Oklo is already accelerating its power availability efforts for data centers to offset their impacts on the existing energy grid.Gensler sees real potential for SMRs to make immediate impact in places like northern Virginia that have clusters of data centers.Oklos Aurora Powerhouse is expected to be deployed by 2027.