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HGP Intelligent Energy has applied to the U.S. Department of Energy to repurpose two nuclear reactors from decommissioned U.S. Navy submarines to power a new AI data center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

The reactors are expected to generate between 450 and 520 megawatts. The U.S. Navy currently operates Westinghouse A4W reactors on aircraft carriers and General Electric S8G reactors on submarines, with a third of Los Angeles-class submarines already decommissioned.

If approved, conversion costs for civilian use could range from $1 million to $4 million per megawatt, which is lower than building new nuclear plants or modular reactors pursued by tech companies like Microsoft. HGP plans to seek a loan guarantee from the Department of Energy, with total project costs estimated at $2.1 billion, and intends to share revenue from the reactors and establish a fund for the long-term storage of spent fuel.