Deep Fission, a nuclear startup company, has signed a deal with data center developer Endeavour to build 2 gigawatts of subterranean nuclear power. As part of the agreement, Endeavour invested in Deep Fission, though the terms were not disclosed. Deep Fission’s reactors would be lowered on cables down a 30-inch, one-mile-deep borehole.
The reactors are pressurized-water designs, a common approach used in various applications. A steam generator paired with the reactor would turn heat into steam, which would be fed to the surface via pipes running the length of the borehole.
Deep Fission’s subterranean reactor plans
The company is targeting between five to seven cents per kilowatt-hour, less than half what new nuclear power costs today in the U.S. Deep Fission aims to switch on its first reactor in 2029, which aligns with the plans of other companies in the industry. Elizabeth Muller, Co-Founder and CEO of Deep Fission, stated, “Our technology not only ensures the highest levels of safety but also positions us to deliver zero-carbon continuous power at a cost of just 5-7 cents per kWh.”
Jakob Carnemark, Founder of Endeavour and Edged data centers, added, “Deep Fission’s solution slashes the high costs and long timelines of surface-built nuclear projects, enhances safety, and delivers clean, reliable energy with high power density of more than 100 MW in a quarter acre.”
The partnership between Deep Fission and Endeavour is part of a growing trend in the nuclear energy industry. Google has signed up for 500 megawatts of reactors, while Amazon has committed to around 300 megawatts.
Data center operator Switch inked a deal for 12 gigawatts of electricity. Deep Fission is currently in pre-application engagement with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and expects to submit site-specific applications in 2026. The company was founded in 2023 by father-daughter team Elizabeth and Richard Muller, who also co-founded Deep Isolation in 2016 to develop the concept of placing canisters of radioactive waste hundreds of metres underground via a borehole.
