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As Fermi America is planning what it says is the world’s largest energy-driven artificial intelligence complex, located in Amarillo, Texas, the company is also working with national nuclear regulators to help improve regulatory efficiency.
Fermi, co-founded by former U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, is building a behind-the-meter HyperGrid campus and plans to use large-scale nuclear power plants along with other power sources to power the massive data center operation. Construction is to begin this year and the first nuclear reactor is expected to be operational by 2032.
In the meantime, the company is working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on a pilot program to develop applicant-prepared Environmental Impact Statement documentation, according to World Nuclear News.
The development is considered a new approach which was enabled by recent amendments to the National Environmental Policy Act.
“By rethinking the traditional review process, the program is expected to reduce in-house NRC review time by approximately 50% and deliver resource savings of about 30%, all while maintaining compliance with environmental requirements,” the NRC said. Fermi America is the first private company to participate in this pilot.
Perry’s company is already filing paperwork for the project. It submitted a combined license application last year for the proposed Fermi Units 1-4 to be built at the northeast side of Amarillo. The project bears the name Project Matador and another portion of the license application was submitted last summer.
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