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DOE OSTI · 3022420

Navigating Integration: Key Challenges for Data Centers, Nuclear Stakeholders, and Utility Operators

Talbot, Paul W. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000296729044)·Bryan, Jacob A. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000157352195)·McDowell, Dylan [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)]·Enriquez-Contreras, Luis Fernando [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)]·Shafiul Alam, S. M. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000262769443)·Tacke, Jonathan M. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000237285105)·Culler, Megan Jordan [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000331297823)·Epiney, Aaron S. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000291485749)·McJunkin, Timothy R. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000249879170)
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Abstract

The rapid expansion of data centers, driven by the exponential growth in data-processing and storage needs, presents significant challenges and opportunities for various stakeholders, including data center developers, nuclear energy providers, and utility companies. Data centers are projected to consume 6.7–12% of United States (U.S.) electricity by 2028, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud-computing demands. Nuclear energy offers reliability and dispatchable baseload power, but data centers need power now while nuclear still needs time to address siting, fast power ramping, and regulatory hurdles. Utilities must keep pace with the unprecedented acceleration of large load interconnection requests and urgently adapt to high-density loads while maintaining grid stability, reliability, and accelerating interconnection timelines. This report dives into these challenges and proposes key collaboration strategies to streamline data center integration that aligns with recent federal initiatives like America’s AI Action Plan and related executive orders that emphasize the importance of data center growth, nuclear energy expansion, and maintaining a competitive edge in the global AI race.

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21 - SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS24 - POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION29 - ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMYdata centersnuclear energyutility planning

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BibTeXRIS

Talbot, Paul W. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000296729044), Bryan, Jacob A. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000157352195), McDowell, Dylan [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)], Enriquez-Contreras, Luis Fernando [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)], Shafiul Alam, S. M. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000262769443), Tacke, Jonathan M. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000237285105), Culler, Megan Jordan [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000331297823), Epiney, Aaron S. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000291485749), McJunkin, Timothy R. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)] (ORCID:0000000249879170). 2025-08-01. Navigating Integration: Key Challenges for Data Centers, Nuclear Stakeholders, and Utility Operators. https://doi.org/10.2172/3022420

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