- China tests mobile nuclear reactor capable of powering AI data centers
- Prototype truck-mounted reactor built for decades of operation without refueling
- Portable 10MW nuclear device targets remote power supply and AI workloads
China is testing a nuclear reactor small enough to drive on a truck, a project scientists say could help address rising demand for electricity powered by artificial intelligence systems.
The South China Morning Post reports that the reactor is the world’s first 10MW vehicle-mounted nuclear power unit, developed over several years and now moving toward the real world.
The output is enough to power a medium-sized AI data center where uninterrupted electricity is essential.
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Maintenance of inaccessible or unreliable network areas
Wu Yican, chief scientific advisor of the Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology at the Hefei Institute of Physical Science, said Science and technology daily“The ‘nuclear power bank’ we proposed is an example of the new generation of nuclear power systems. This technology offers exceptional safety in a remarkably compact size and an operational lifetime of decades without recharging.”
Mobility is central to the concept, as the reactor can be transported by truck to areas where traditional grid connections are unavailable or unreliable.
“It offers a solution to ‘battery anxiety’ in various applications, including providing power to remote regions and islands, providing emergency power in special environments, propelling ships, powering space systems, and supporting AI computing and data centers,” Wu said.
He explained that the next generation of nuclear systems should be built around security and adaptability. “They must be accessible, flexible and intelligent to meet the diverse energy needs of the future,” Wu said.
Interest in portable nuclear systems is increasing as AI computing continues to expand, pushing power demands far beyond what many existing grids were built to handle.
SCMP says China currently operates 59 commercial nuclear units producing 467.7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, accounting for 4.82 percent of national demand and ranking it second globally after the United States.
Tech companies have moved toward nuclear power as demand for data center electricity continues to rise.
Amazon plans to develop 12 small modular nuclear reactors with a combined output of nearly 1 GW, while Google is building a small reactor in Tennessee to supply its facilities. Amazon, Meta, Google and Microsoft have all joined the World Nuclear Association.
Microsoft has also pushed into the legacy infrastructure, with involvement in restarting the Three Mile Island nuclear power station, while smaller systems such as Westinghouse’s eVinci microreactor are being developed to provide around 5MW for up to 100 months without refueling.
Wu also discussed nuclear technology beyond power generation and noted its growing role in medicine, where radioactive molecules are used to evaluate body functions and diagnose and treat diseases, including cancer.
More than 5 million people in China are diagnosed with cancer each year, increasing pressure to expand medical tools that rely on nuclear research and manufacturing capacity.
“If nuclear technology could help improve treatments, it could bring immense social and economic value,” Wu said.
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