The University of Utah is preparing an unusual nuclear experiment this summer. Its TRIGA research reactor will generate electricity for the first time in its 50-year history. That electricity will power a small AI data center on-site.

The project aims to show how nuclear systems could support growing AI energy demand. It brings together Elemental Nuclear Energy Corp. and the university’s engineering program. The goal is simple: turn reactor heat into usable compute power.

Reactor powers AI test

The TRIGA reactor typically supports research and training. Operators usually dissipate its heat through cooling systems. This project changes that approach by capturing part of the thermal output.

Engineers will convert that heat into electricity using a compact Brayton Cycle system. The setup uses helium as a working fluid instead of steam. This allows a smaller footprint than traditional turbines.

Once operational, the system will generate about 2–3 kilowatts of electricity. That power will run a high-performance GPU executing a live AI workload. The output is small but meaningful for a proof-of-concept.

“This project is intended to demonstrate a powerful principle,” said Mike Luther, Founder of Elemental Nuclear. “The energy produced through nuclear fission can ultimately power the computational systems driving artificial intelligence.”

The AI component comes from the university’s Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute. The team brings experience in building and operating AI systems.

Compact nuclear system design

The experiment relies on a “cold” or reverse Brayton cycle. Engineers compress helium, heat it with reactor water, and expand it through a turbine. The system then cools the gas using a cryogenic heat exchanger.

Performance targets remain modest. The reactor provides about 50 kilowatts of thermal energy. The turbine produces around 13 kilowatts. Net electrical output falls to 2–3 kilowatts.

“This will be, to our knowledge, the first time any university reactor has produced electricity, not just our own,” says reactor manager Dr. Ted Goodell. “It’s a milestone for our students, but it also shows that small, safe reactors could live at data centers, rather than in labs.”

The demonstration involves students and faculty from twelve universities. It forms one of the largest collaborations centered on a research reactor.

Elemental Nuclear views the project as part of a broader strategy. The company plans to use the global TRIGA reactor network as a testing platform. That network includes thousands of students and decades of expertise.

“This is one of the most extraordinary scientific networks in the world,” Luther says. “It combines operating nuclear infrastructure with a deep bench of talent and institutional knowledge. We believe it represents a powerful platform for accelerating next-generation nuclear technologies.”

The company is developing microreactors for industrial and computing use. These systems aim to deliver reliable, carbon-free energy.

“Our objective is to deliver a commercially viable nuclear microreactor by 2030–2031,” Luther says. “Experiments like this enable us to move quickly, validate real-world systems, and build toward scalable solutions.”