Savannah River Site AI data center moves closer to construction
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected Amentum to negotiate a lease for a new 1-gigawatt AI data center at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The project will include a dedicated power plant, transitioning from natural gas to nuclear energy. This initiative is part of a federal program to utilize government land for private-sector data center development.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has chosen Amentum to negotiate a phased lease for the development of a 1-gigawatt artificial intelligence (AI) data center at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The project also includes a dedicated 2-gigawatt power plant that will initially use natural gas before transitioning to nuclear energy, according to the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA).
This development is part of a federal program designed to leverage expansive government land assets, such as the 300-square-mile Savannah River Site, to attract private-sector investment for data center construction. NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams emphasized that partnering with the private sector will accelerate development, apply innovative technologies, and make productive use of federal land while maintaining mission delivery.
The NNSA stated the project aims to meet its electricity needs without burdening existing utility customers. The Savannah River Site was identified as one of four federal locations for this program, which aligns with former President Donald Trump's Executive Orders on accelerating federal permitting for data center infrastructure and deploying advanced nuclear reactor technologies. Amentum specializes in logistics and technical services for U.S. government agencies, with expertise in nuclear security and cybersecurity.