US Department of Energy selects ASU and DCX to pioneer new ways to power data centers
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The U.S. Department of Energy has selected Arizona State University and DCX USA, LLC, as key research partners for its Microreactor Application Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) program, an innovative national effort led by Idaho National Laboratory to establish novel applications for advanced microreactor technologies.
A joint ASU–DCX research team will study whether a small modular reactor can provide dependable energy for the growing demands of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, strengthening U.S. competitiveness in AI.
This landmark project will generate key performance data on microreactor reliability, load-following capability and stability under artificial intelligence workloads.
“At ASU, energy research and education are focused on exploring and advancing a diverse portfolio of resilient and viable energy solutions," said Sally C. Morton, executive vice president of ASU Knowledge Enterprise. “Now, more than ever, we need collaborative and vigorous innovation to solve the challenges of an evolving energy future.”
AI data centers are among the most energy-intensive computational facilities in the world, and meeting future AI power requirements is widely recognized as a national priority. They are projected to consume up to one-eighth of the total electricity in the U.S. in the next few years — equal to the current power use of California and Texas combined.
Scaling the nation’s energy supply to meet the growing demands of AI — while ensuring energy security, reliability and affordability — will be essential to U.S. security and leadership in AI.
“Data centers are the backbone of our digital future, and the energy they require is growing exponentially,” said George Slessman, founder of DCX. “Through this partnership with ASU and INL, we’re demonstrating that nuclear-powered, AI-optimized infrastructure is not only feasible — it’s essential. This work lays the foundation for sovereign, resilient and infinitely scalable AI capacity built here in the United States.”
The ASU-DCX research team will conduct an in-depth evaluation of microreactor-grid interactions, AI load modeling and thermal-to-electric system optimization. The study’s findings will help determine how small, transportable reactors can directly power modular data centers — an approach that could reduce dependence on traditional electrical grids, enable deployment of AI computing in remote or infrastructure-limited environments, and provide a continuous, carbon-free power source.
Investing in AI leadership and energy innovation
Including ASU, the Energy Department selected five research teams to work on MARVEL — an operational microreactor that will provide a platform where researchers can demonstrate innovative new use cases for the technology. Beyond data center applications, projects include work in desalination, autonomous reactor operations and advanced radiation detection.
Microreactors are designed to be factory-built, transportable and deployable. They have emerged as a potential solution for pairing high-demand AI applications with secure, resilient baseload power.
The ASU-DCX project directly supports national goals to accelerate the deployment of commercial nuclear technologies and expand U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.
“ASU is helping to define a scalable energy model for advancing the United States as the leading nation in artificial intelligence for decades to come,” said Sean Dudley, associate vice president of the ASU Research Technology Office. “We are uniquely positioned, with available expertise and a broad portfolio of partners across key industries, to develop deeply integrated facility and technology innovations that address current and emerging demands of the new AI era.”
Team members from ASU include researchers from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Research Technology Office of Knowledge Enterprise.
As the nation’s most innovative university, ASU has developed a robust portfolio in AI optimization, battery storage, chip design, thermal energy reuse and hydrogen production. Participation in MARVEL expands ASU’s growing research leadership across advanced reactors, AI systems integration and next-generation resilient infrastructure.
Final agreements for MARVEL end-user projects are expected to be announced in 2026.
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