TerraPower’s nuclear reactor has a secret weapon for powering AI data centers

TerraPower’s 345 MW molten-salt-cooled reactor stores excess heat in a large molten-salt reservoir, allowing it to maintain full-power operation while quickly supplying additional steam when data-center demand spikes. The company plans its second plant—following a Wyoming site—to break ground in 2027, after securing a Meta order for eight Natrium units. This storage-enabled design lets the reactor pair with intermittent renewables and provide reliable, behind-the-meter power for AI workloads.