Clayco Backs Historic DOE Bid for Nuclear-Powered Data Center Campus
Pictured Above: Data center under construction by Clayco in Wyoming.
Date Posted: February 24, 2026
Posted In: Environment/Sustainability, Organizations,
From Construction Dive: Clayco could soon be digging on the site of the first fully integrated nuclear-powered data center in the U.S., according to a Feb. 12 news release from the Chicago-based general contractor.
A multidisciplinary consortium, led by Swiss-American energy company Deep Atomic, submitted proposals to the Department of Energy to pair advanced nuclear energy with hyperscale data center construction. One proposal includes a campus at the Idaho National Laboratory, where Clayco would advise on construction phasing and sequencing.
The project underscores a growing trend of data center developers looking for alternative forms of energy to power builds. If approved, the project could serve as an example for more nuclear-powered artificial intelligence infrastructure, according to Clayco.
Small Modular Reactor
Pending DOE approval, Clayco would roll out the project in phases. The general contractor would build the data center facility first, which would initially be powered by existing grid, geothermal and solar power, according to a Clayco statement shared with Construction Dive.
Deep Atomic would then incorporate its MK60 Small Modular Reactor into the campus following the vertical build, according to the statement. Clayco expects this to serve as a demonstration for how nuclear-powered artificial intelligence infrastructure could be deployed across the country.
“We believe this project could serve as a blueprint for providing data centers with the clean, scalable power that increased AI use requires,” said the Clayco statement. “The implementation of these types of SMRs will see increased adoption going forward.”