- China testing mobile nuclear reactor capable of powering AI data centers
- Prototype truck-mounted reactor built for decades of operation without refueling
- Portable 10MW nuclear unit targets remote power supply and AI workloads
China is testing a nuclear reactor small enough to ride on a truck, a project that scientists say could help solve the rising electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence systems.
The South China Morning Post reports the reactor is the world’s first 10MW vehicle-mounted nuclear power unit, developed over several years and now moving toward real-world use.
The output is enough to power a medium-sized AI data center, where uninterrupted electricity is essential.
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Servicing unavailable or unreliable grid areas
Wu Yican, chief scientific adviser to the Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology at the Hefei Institute of Physical Science, told Science and Technology Daily, “The ‘nuclear power bank’ we proposed exemplifies the new generation of nuclear energy systems. This technology offers exceptional safety in a remarkably compact size and an operational lifespan of decades without recharging.”
Mobility is central to the concept, since 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 different applications, including providing power for remote regions and islands, delivering emergency backup power in special environments, propelling ships, powering space systems and supporting AI computing and data centers,” Wu said.
He explained next-generation nuclear systems should be built around safety and adaptability. “They should be approachable, flexible and intelligent, enabling them to meet the future’s diverse energy needs,” Wu said.
Interest in portable nuclear systems is increasing as AI computing continues expanding, pushing power requirements 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 placing it second globally behind the United States.
Tech companies have been moving toward nuclear power as data center electricity demand keeps climbing.
Amazon plans to develop 12 small modular nuclear reactors with nearly 1GW of combined output, 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 legacy infrastructure, with involvement in restarting the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, while smaller systems such as Westinghouse’s eVinci microreactor are being developed to deliver about 5MW for up to 100 months without refueling.
Wu also discussed nuclear technology beyond power generation, noting its growing role in medicine where radioactive molecules are used to evaluate bodily functions and diagnose and treat diseases including cancer.
More than 5 million people in China are diagnosed with cancer each year, which adds pressure to expand medical tools that rely on nuclear research and production capacity.
“If nuclear technology could help improve treatments it could bring immeasurable social and economic value,” Wu said.
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