Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, has proposed building an AI data center powered by a floating nuclear power unit and cooled with seawater.

At the 70th IAEA General Conference, Rosatom presented a concept for an infrastructure complex based on a floating nuclear power unit. One proposed scenario envisions placing a data center adjacent to PEB-100, with the facility receiving its own dedicated electricity source and operating independently from the external power grid.

The concept integrates power supply, computing capacity, and digital services into a single complex. Rosatom proposes using seawater for liquid cooling of the server equipment, eliminating the need to tap existing grid capacity. Floating nuclear power units are particularly well-suited for coastal and energy-constrained regions where constructing a conventional large-scale nuclear power plant would be impractically complex or expensive.

The conference dedicated a separate session to exploring the serial production prospects of floating power units and examining the international regulatory framework necessary for their deployment.

Rosatom's broader presentation at the conference included advances in Generation IV nuclear technology, encompassing two-component nuclear energy systems, research reactors, and the potential for an international research center utilizing the MBIR reactor.

The program also addressed nuclear workforce development, with participants reviewing methodologies for training personnel across large and small nuclear power plants using full-scale and analytical simulators, alongside initiatives to prepare the next generation of nuclear industry specialists.