Standard Power’s Nuclear Pivot: Inside the 2 GW SMR Strategy for Data Centers in 2025

Industry Adoption: Standard Power’s Shift from Nuclear Power Consumer to Producer with SMRs

Between 2021 and 2024, Standard Power’s approach to securing clean energy was conventional, albeit forward-thinking. The company established its commitment to carbon-free power through a five-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Energy Harbor in July 2021, sourcing nuclear energy for its Coshocton, Ohio, blockchain mining center. This positioned Standard Power as a savvy power *consumer*, leveraging existing nuclear assets to meet the high energy demands of its operations. However, this model still left the company exposed to the limitations of third-party generation and grid reliability. The major inflection point occurred in October 2023 with the announcement of a groundbreaking partnership with NuScale Power and ENTRA1 Energy. This marked a radical strategic pivot from being a simple consumer to a co-located power *producer*. By planning to deploy nearly 2 GW of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) capacity directly at its data center sites, Standard Power signaled a move to control its energy destiny, driven by the realization that the explosive, 24/7 power needs of AI and advanced computing demand a more integrated solution than PPAs alone can offer.

From 2025 onward, this strategic vision has rapidly moved toward execution, gaining significant momentum and validation. The plan solidified from a standalone venture into a cornerstone of a much larger initiative when it was announced in September 2025 as part of a landmark 6 GW NuScale SMR deployment program involving the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and ENTRA1. This association elevates Standard Power’s project from a corporate energy strategy to a key component of a regional energy transformation. The technological foundation of the project was critically de-risked in May 2025 when NuScale’s uprated 77 MWe module—the specific model selected by Standard Power—received its Standard Design Approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This regulatory finality transformed the project from a plan based on a certified design to a commercial deployment of a specific, federally approved product. The new opportunity is achieving unparalleled energy independence and cost predictability for its AI-focused data centers. The primary threat remains execution risk; the success of these first-of-a-kind commercial SMRs must overcome the economic hurdles that led to the cancellation of NuScale’s previous flagship UAMPS project, which saw projected power costs rise 53% to $89/MWh.

Table: Standard Power’s Key SMR Project and Foundational Investments

Table: Standard Power’s Evolution in Energy Partnerships

Geography: Standard Power’s Concentrated U.S. Nuclear Strategy

Between 2021 and 2024, Standard Power’s geographic footprint was narrowly focused on Ohio, centered around its Coshocton blockchain facility powered by the Energy Harbor PPA. The strategic pivot to SMRs in late 2023 immediately broadened this focus to a two-state strategy, targeting both Ohio and Pennsylvania for its future nuclear-powered data center campuses. These states, located in the industrial heartland and part of the PJM Interconnection grid, offer strategic advantages, including potential access to an experienced industrial workforce and sites conducive to large-scale energy projects. This marked a deliberate move to establish a presence in key areas of the U.S. Rust Belt, positioning its data centers as hubs for economic redevelopment powered by next-generation energy.

From 2025, the geographic context of Standard Power’s projects has expanded significantly in strategic importance, even as the physical locations remain in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The September 2025 announcement linking the projects to a broader 6 GW program with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) reframes the initiative from two isolated sites into key anchors of a multi-state, regional SMR ecosystem. While the TVA operates primarily in the Southeast, its partnership lends federal weight and a high-profile platform to the deployments in the Midwest. This suggests a blueprint for regional decarbonization that transcends state lines, with Standard Power’s sites serving as the pioneering commercial examples. The risk now shifts from site selection to navigating the specific local and state-level regulatory and community acceptance hurdles required to build the first commercial SMRs in these communities.

Technology Maturity: Standard Power’s Adoption of a De-Risked SMR Design

In the 2021–2024 period, Standard Power’s adoption of SMRs was contingent on a critical technological milestone: regulatory validation. The pivotal event was the U.S. NRC’s certification of NuScale’s general SMR design in January 2023. This moved the technology from a long-duration review phase to being commercially viable for licensing and deployment, giving Standard Power the confidence to make its strategic pivot. However, the technology’s commercial maturity remained in question. The high-profile termination of NuScale’s UAMPS project in late 2023 due to soaring costs highlighted the significant economic risks associated with first-of-a-kind deployments. For Standard Power, the technology was regulatorily ready, but its economic viability at scale was unproven, making their 2023 commitment a calculated, high-stakes bet.

The period from 2025 to today has seen the technology move from a generally approved concept to a specifically approved, ready-to-build product. The most important validation point was the NRC’s Standard Design Approval for NuScale’s uprated 77 MWe VOYGR module in May 2025. This was crucial, as it is the exact model Standard Power plans to deploy across its 24-module project. This milestone significantly de-risks the licensing and construction process, moving the technology from a pilot-adjacent phase to full-scale commercial readiness. The project is no longer a demonstration but a large-scale industrial application. The backing of major entities like the TVA and the multi-billion-dollar scale of the associated agreements signal that key market actors now view NuScale’s technology as mature enough for scaling, with the expectation that the unique economic drivers of the AI data center market can support the costs.

Table: SWOT Analysis of Standard Power’s SMR Strategy Over Time

Forward-Looking Insights and Summary

The data from 2025 signals that Standard Power’s audacious SMR strategy is entering its most critical phase: execution. With regulatory approvals secured and major partnerships in place, the focus for the year ahead shifts squarely to tangible project milestones. Market actors should watch for announcements regarding final site permit applications in Ohio and Pennsylvania and the specific terms of the Power Purchase Agreements between Standard Power and ENTRA1. These agreements will reveal the all-important cost of electricity and ultimately determine the financial viability of this pioneering model.

The central signal gaining traction is the viability of using premium, baseload nuclear power to solve the energy crisis facing the AI industry. The success or failure of Standard Power’s project will be a bellwether for the entire tech sector. The key question is whether the immense value placed on uptime and power reliability in AI data centers can justify a Levelized Cost of Energy that may be higher than what traditional utility customers would accept. If Standard Power can demonstrate a compelling economic case, expect a rapid acceleration of similar SMR-for-data-center deals by other major tech players. Conversely, any significant delays or cost overruns will temper industry enthusiasm and reinforce the dominance of conventional PPAs. The a partnership structure that separates the end-user from the capital-intensive task of plant ownership is a powerful trend to watch, as it provides a replicable blueprint for financing the future of industrial decarbonization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Standard Power switch from just buying nuclear power to building its own SMRs?
Standard Power switched strategies to gain control over its energy supply and destiny. Its initial model of buying power through a PPA left it vulnerable to grid reliability and third-party contract limitations. The company determined that the massive, 24/7 power demands of AI computing required a more integrated solution for energy independence and long-term cost predictability.

Is Standard Power paying for and building these multi-billion dollar nuclear plants itself?
No. The strategic partnership is structured so that ENTRA1 Energy will finance, own, and operate the SMR power plants. Standard Power will act as the primary customer, signing a long-term agreement to buy the power generated at the sites. This model allows Standard Power to secure dedicated, carbon-free power without putting the capital-intensive asset on its own balance sheet.

What is the biggest risk to this project’s success?
The primary threat is economic and execution risk. The project’s success is shadowed by the recent cancellation of NuScale’s UAMPS project, which was terminated after projected power costs soared 53% to $89/MWh. Standard Power’s project must prove it can overcome these economic hurdles and be delivered on time and on budget to be considered viable.

What specific technology is being used and has it been approved by regulators?
The project will use NuScale Power’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology. Specifically, it will deploy 24 of the uprated 77 MWe VOYGR modules. This exact model received its Standard Design Approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in May 2025, confirming it is a federally approved product ready for commercial deployment.

Where are these SMR-powered data centers being built?
Standard Power is pursuing a two-state strategy, with plans to build its SMR-powered data center campuses in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. These projects are now part of a broader 6 GW regional SMR deployment program involving the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).