Planned project will consist of natural gas transitioning to nuclear energy
Amentum has been selected by the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to enter negotiations for a phased lease to develop an AI data centre at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.
The US-based engineering company said the project would establish a 1 GW AI data centre supported by approximately 2 GW of onsite energy generation, initially powered by natural gas with plans to transition to advanced nuclear energy.
The public-private partnership aims to develop infrastructure at the South Carolina facility, where Amentum has previously worked on engineering and nuclear projects.
“This agreement gives us the opportunity to partner with the NNSA to deliver infrastructure that will help power the technologies shaping our nation’s future," said Amentum chief executive officer John Heller.
Mark Whitney, president of Amentum’s energy and environment business, said the project builds on the company’s work at the Savannah River Site by combining expertise in nuclear operations, infrastructure development and program delivery.
The selection represents an initial phase, with negotiations still required before any final agreement is reached. The company did not disclose financial terms or a timeline for the project’s completion.
In April 2025, the DOE identified 16 federal sites that could support the construction of AI data centre and associated energy infrastructure. The Savannah River Site and three others – Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Reservation and Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant – were selected to move forward with efforts to invite private-sector development.
