Terrestrial Energy and Riot Platforms have launched a collaboration to develop nuclear-powered data center projects aimed at supporting the rapidly growing demand for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing infrastructure.
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The companies announced May 6 that they signed a memorandum of understanding to explore deploying Terrestrial Energy’s Integral Molten Salt Reactor plants alongside Riot-developed data centers across multiple locations in the United States. Candidate sites include Riot facilities in Texas and Kentucky, with additional locations under evaluation.
The partnership seeks to combine advanced nuclear energy systems with hyperscale data center development in an effort to provide reliable, large-scale electricity for AI-driven operations.
Under the agreement, the companies plan to evaluate the deployment of multiple 390-megawatt IMSR plants that could eventually generate up to 4 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity.
“This partnership brings together two companies with sector leading capabilities to unlock the tremendous value in IMSR Plant supply to data center operations and to build long-term strategic depth in Riot Platforms’ power-first strategy,” said Simon Irish. “Riot has proven it can build and operate large-scale digital infrastructure, and our small and modular IMSR Plant is designed to deliver the reliable, low-cost power those operations need.”
The announcement comes as developers across the technology and construction sectors race to secure power supplies capable of supporting expanding AI workloads and cloud computing operations.
Riot Platforms, traditionally known for its bitcoin mining operations, said the collaboration reflects its broader push into hyperscale data center development.
“Our data centers require reliable and predictable energy at the scale demanded by today’s hyperscale customers,” said Jason Les. “Partnering with Terrestrial Energy positions our facilities at the forefront of data center deployment, utilizing clean energy and benefitting both our customers and the communities we operate in.”
The IMSR technology is designed as a Generation IV small modular reactor system that uses molten salt reactor technology and standard-assay low-enriched uranium fuel enriched below 5% uranium-235. Terrestrial Energy said this fuel approach avoids some of the supply chain constraints associated with high-assay low-enriched uranium used by some competing reactor developers.
The companies also said the facilities could incorporate natural gas systems as a bridge fuel during phased project development and to improve power resilience.
Demand for AI infrastructure has become a major growth driver for the construction industry, particularly in the data center market. Contractors, developers and energy providers have increasingly focused on securing long-term power solutions as utilities struggle to keep pace with projected electricity demand.
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The partnership between Terrestrial Energy and Riot reflects growing interest in pairing advanced nuclear technologies with digital infrastructure projects that require stable baseload power.
Terrestrial Energy said its IMSR plants are specifically designed for industrial applications, including direct support for large-scale data centers. The company aims to begin deploying the reactors in the early 2030s, pending regulatory approvals and continued project development.
Riot’s development team has experience designing and delivering hyperscale data centers, with expertise spanning engineering, operations, construction and leasing, according to the companies.
The collaboration also highlights the expanding intersection between energy infrastructure and digital construction markets as developers seek scalable solutions capable of supporting long-term AI growth.
Originally reported by Terrestrial Energy and Riot Platforms in Business Wire.
