The Gas-to-Nuclear Bridge for AI Data Centers

Amentum (AMTM) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) selected them to negotiate a phased lease at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.

The proposed public-private project would pair a 1-gigawatt (GW) AI data center with approximately 2 GW of dedicated on-site generation. The site would initially be powered by natural gas as a bridge to advanced nuclear energy. The proposal connects three important investment themes: AI, natural gas, and nuclear.

Amentum was selected for a proposed 1 GW AI data center and approximately 2 GW of on-site generation at the Savannah River Site. The project would use natural gas first while creating a path to advanced nuclear energy, addressing the different deployment timelines of data centers and reactors.

Amentum, GE Vernova (GEV), and Oklo (OKLO) are positioned at different points in the gas-to-nuclear development model.

The Savannah River proposal is part of a broader DOE effort to use federal land for new AI and energy infrastructure. DOE identified 16 potential sites in 2025 and advanced Savannah River as one of four locations for private-sector development.

The structure brings new generation alongside new demand. DOE said dedicated on-site power could meet the data center’s needs without shifting costs to existing utility customers, with the goal of increasing power available to the grid.

Still, the announcement begins a process rather than finalizing a project. DOE emphasized that the lease remains subject to negotiations, permitting, safety and security reviews, and other approvals. No reactor vendor or nuclear technology have been disclosed.

The model separates time to first power from the longer-term energy mix. Gas can support the data center while nuclear moves through licensing, financing, supply-chain development, and construction. The bridge does not shorten those steps, but it can let site development and customer demand advance sooner.

Blue Energy (private) and GE Vernova unveiled a similar proposed 2.5 GW project in Texas. Two GE Vernova gas turbines could provide approximately 1 GW as early as 2030. The project would then ramp to approximately 1.5 GW from GE Vernova Hitachi’s BWRX-300 small modular reactors as early as 2032.

The companies are targeting a final investment decision in 2027, and the project remains subject to investment and regulatory approvals.

Oklo has pursued the same idea through multiple partnerships. Their memorandum of understanding with RPower envisions deploying gas first, adding Aurora powerhouses later, and shifting the gas equipment toward backup and resilience. A separate strategic alliance with Liberty Energy (LBRT) combines immediate gas power with future Aurora deployment.

The Texas and Oklo examples are separate from the Savannah River proposal. Together, they show how gas-to-nuclear is emerging as a repeatable development concept. A large customer load can support site work, equipment reservations, licensing, and financing before a reactor begins operation.

The VettaFi Nuclear Renaissance Index (NUKZX) includes companies across these phases. Amentum brings nuclear operations, infrastructure development, and program delivery experience. In their separate projects, GE Vernova participates through gas turbines and BWRX-300 technology, while Oklo offers exposure to advanced reactors and new commercial pathways.

If the Savannah River proposal advances, it could create earlier opportunities for engineering, site development, equipment, and project services while the nuclear plan matures. Gas may provide power first, but nuclear-related commercial activity can beg...