MK60 (small nuclear reactor)

History

2024: Product Announcement

At the end of October 2024, the Swiss startup Deep Atomic introduced a small modular reactor (SMR) designed for use in data centers. The MK60 plant has an electric capacity of 60 MW, thanks to which, according to the developer, it is well suited for high density calculations.

SMR systems are relatively small nuclear reactors consisting of modules that are built at the plant and then transported, assembled and commissioned at any suitable site. SMR solutions are said to have higher safety compared to conventional reactors due to their relatively low power and low internal pressure. When organizing mass production, the cost of deploying reactors is reduced.

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Deep Atomic

The MK60 installation is compact. According to Deep Atomic, for the installation of the reactor itself and related equipment, a site of 80 square meters is enough. Thus, such SMRs can be located directly on the territory of data centers. In addition, improved security systems make it possible to place MK60 near urban areas.

Another advantage of the novelty is the ability to scale. By combining several MK60 units into a single complex, you can increase electrical power to 1 GW or more. Thanks to this, data center operators will be able to develop their infrastructure as computing workloads grow, which is relevant against the backdrop of the rapid introduction of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. The MK60 plant has a thermal capacity of up to 180 MW. This energy can be used to heat buildings, office premises in the perimeter of the data center and other facilities.^[1]

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