Amazon, Energy Northwest and X-energy have announced plans for a next-generation nuclear campus, designed to supply carbon-free power for cloud computing and AI.

Located in Washington, the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility will use X-energy’s Xe-100 modular reactor, starting with four 80 MW units and scaling up to 960 MW. Construction is targeted for the end of the decade, with operations expected in the 2030s.

Cascade’s modular design requires only a few city blocks and can be expanded in phases to meet rising energy demand.

Amazon has invested in X-energy's reactor platform through it's Climate Pledge Fund and secured offtake rights from the first block. The remaining capacity will supply regional utilities, creating a model for corporate-backed nuclear development.

The project will generate over 1,000 construction jobs and 100 permanent roles. A new Energy Learning Center at Columbia Basin College will train future operators using a Xe-100 simulator.

It also aims to accelerate SMR production, mobilising up to $50 billion to deploy 5 GW of small reactor capacity by 2039.

If delivered on schedule, Cascade could become a global test case for how major tech firms align digital infrastructure growth with long-term, zero-carbon energy strategy.

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