Equinix Turns to Next-Gen Nuclear for AI-Driven Power Demand
December 1, 2025
Facing surging electricity demands from artificial intelligence workloads, global data center giant Equinix is making a strategic bet on next-generation nuclear technology. This move highlights the intensifying pressure on digital infrastructure providers to secure large-scale, reliable, and carbon-free power amidst aging grids and limited generation capacity.
Equinix has signed an agreement with French nuclear startup Stellaria, securing the first reservation for power capacity from Stellaria’s planned “Stellarium” reactors. These advanced fast-neutron and molten-salt reactors are scheduled for deployment in 2035. The partnership, announced in a joint press release, is a direct response to data center operators confronting skyrocketing power requirements driven by the rapid global expansion of AI infrastructure. The International Energy Agency forecasts annual global electricity consumption growth of 4% through 2027, the fastest pace in years, largely fueled by this trend.
“We chose Stellaria because it is one of the few companies capable of making our high-performance AI data centres energy resilient while combining high security and flexibility,” said Régis Castagne, Managing Director of Equinix France. Stellaria’s design is billed as the world’s first “breed-and-burn” reactor, a technology that consumes its own waste fuel, eliminating the need for on-site storage. Each compact reactor is expected to produce 250 MW of round-the-clock, carbon-free electricity, ideal for power-hungry high-performance computing.
For Stellaria, the deal represents a crucial validation. “The signing of this first contract is an important milestone for Stellaria,” stated CEO Nicolas Breyton. “It sends a strong signal to the sector and proves that our roadmap is credible.” This agreement is part of a broader energy diversification strategy by Equinix, which in August announced collaborations with five alternative-energy providers, including Stellaria.
The initiative signals a potential shift in how major tech and infrastructure companies approach energy security. By partnering directly with developers of advanced nuclear fission, they aim to lock in future capacity for their most demanding facilities, setting a precedent for the industry’s long-term power procurement strategies in the AI era.
Source: w.media
