Nevada Data Center Intel

Recent Nevada data center news

• Apr 30, 2026

  Oklo launches nuclear AI partnership

  Oklo, Nvidia and the Los Alamos National Laboratory have announced a strategic collaboration to advance plutonium-bearing fuel validation and to design nuclear-powered AI factories.

  • Strategic collaboration & focus areas: The agreement integrates Oklo’s sodium-cooled fast reactor technology, Nvidia’s AI and high-performance computing, and LANL’s materials science and nuclear fuels expertise, with R&D hosted at LANL in New Mexico. Initial focus areas are AI-Enhanced Fuel Validation, Materials Science R&D (plutonium-bearing fuel fabrication), Nuclear-Powered AI Factories (integrated full-stack solutions for high-density AI data centres and grid reliability/stabilisation), and Digital Twins and Simulation. The fuel R&D supports Oklo’s Pluto reactor and the Aurora Powerhouse design (both selected under the DoE Reactor Pilot Program). The DoE’s Genesis Mission (launched November 2025) is identified as a related federal initiative; Oklo targets commercial power generation by end of 2027.
  • Background, hosting and implementation details: R&D and critical experiments are being conducted under existing partnerships: Oklo is performing plutonium fast reactor critical tests with LANL at the DoE’s National Criticality Experiments Research Centre (NCERC) at the Nevada National Security Site under a Strategic Partnership Project (SPP). Oklo previously received a site use permit from the DoE for the Aurora plant, was awarded fuel from the Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted a combined licence application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Projects under this new agreement include proof-of-concept work and integrated R&D; no monetary values or contract prices were disclosed in the article.
• Apr 24, 2026

  The POWER Interview: How the Oil and Gas Industry is Advancing Geothermal

  XGS Energy has announced a 115-MW development deal with California Community Power and is developing a 150-MW, $1.2-billion partnership with Meta in New Mexico.

  • Main announcement: XGS signed a 115 MW development agreement with California Community Power granting those members first rights to the electricity produced, and a 150-MW partnership with Meta described as a $1.2-billion capital project in New Mexico; the Meta project is two-phased and both phases are expected to be operational by 2030, and will supply Meta’s data center operations via the PNM utility grid.
  • Background and validation: XGS completed a commercial demonstration of its water-independent closed-loop system at the Coso geothermal field running continuously for more than 3,000 hours using its Thermal Reach Enhancement (TRE) and oil-and-gas-derived drilling and casing technologies; the article also cites an IEA finding that geothermal financing reached nearly $2.2 billion last year (up from $22 million in 2018) and references federal incentives (clean energy tax credits retained in the 2025 U.S. budget and DOE’s Enhanced Geothermal Shot).
• Apr 21, 2026

  VOICES: Unlikely opportunities for water progress in raging data center debate

  Mike Shriberg warns that the rapid buildout of data centers in the Great Lakes region is straining local and regional water supplies and calls for modernizing water protection policies.

  • Main announcement/action: Mike Shriberg (University of Michigan Water Center) argues that data centers can use 150,000 to over 5 million gallons of water per day, creating pressure on local supplies and prompting rural and environmental coalitions to oppose projects and push for policy reform. He calls for modernizing disclosure, permitting standards, and integrated groundwater/surface water management.
  • Background and details: The piece is an opinion/Voices column noting concrete policy gaps: lack of disclosure about water use, lack of permitting standards for quantity and quality protections, and separate treatment of groundwater and surface water. It also notes that reducing onsite water use can shift larger water impacts offsite when power for data centers comes from fossil fuels or nuclear.
• Apr 19, 2026

  AI data center deals must be carefully crafted, EPA chief says in Las Vegas

  EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin hosted a roundtable with Las Vegas business leaders and urged carefully structured AI data center deals while highlighting water-reuse priorities.

  • Main action: Zeldin hosted a roundtable at the Vegas Chamber and visited a Switch AI data center and Symphony Park; he emphasized the EPA’s updated Water Reuse Action Plan and urged that data center agreements be structured to provide net benefits to communities. He noted that Las Vegas has banned evaporative cooling for commercial properties (the final commercial permit was issued in 2024) and promoted closed-loop or air-cooling alternatives for new data centers.
  • Background and details: The article cites a Western Resource Advocates analysis saying NV Energy may need to quadruple peak energy capacity to serve pending data-center requests; Zeldin referenced examples such as Google powering a West Memphis data center with a solar farm and battery storage (linked reporting references a $4 billion Google investment). Zeldin also said EPA officials are taking local input “back to Washington, D.C.” to standardize enforcement practices.
• Apr 16, 2026

  Telecom Sales Platform CableFinder Announces Partnership with Fiber Carrier Lightpath

  Cablefinder announced a partnership with Lightpath to enable single-session contracts and automated serviceability checks via an API-driven platform.

  • Main announcement: Cablefinder has partnered with Lightpath to allow single session contracts and serviceability checks through an API-driven platform that is expected to launch this summer (2026); CableFinder’s distributors include Avant and Telarus.
  • Background and next steps:Lightpath operates more than 12,000 miles of “AI-grade” fiber connecting data centers and subsea cable stations to major cloud providers and is jointly owned by Optimum and Morgan Stanley; the companies will share additional details at the 2027 Channel Partners Conference and Expo in Las Vegas.
    • Event: Channel Partners Conference and Expo 2027 — Location: Las Vegas — Agenda: companies will share more information about the partnership and platform (no specific date/time provided in article).
• Apr 16, 2026

  Nokia and VarData Selected for Nevada BEAD Rollout

  SkyFiber has selected Nokia and VarData to build a high-speed fiber and wireless broadband network for underserved communities in northern Nevada.

  • SkyFiber selection announced: SkyFiber selected Nokia and VarData as partners to build out a hybrid fiber and wireless high-speed internet network in northern Nevada, leveraging Nokia’s optical transport system and VarData’s existing infrastructure; SkyFiber was awarded $180.6 million in BEAD funds last year after a stalled permitting process.
  • Background and related details: The announcement references a press release describing the hybrid model as making coverage feasible and affordable; separately, NVIDIA acquired a 2.9% stake in Nokia last year for $1 billion, providing Nokia with capital and NVIDIA an entry point into the cellular network space.
• Apr 15, 2026

  Switch Secures Landmark $2.6 Billion Syndicated Letter of Credit Facility

  Switch announced a $2.6 billion syndicated performance letter of credit facility on April 21, 2026, to expand its ability to procure power and to back new transmission and generation for its gigawatt-scale data center campuses.

  • Main announcement: Switch has secured a $2.6 billion syndicated performance LC facility (standalone and separate from its revolving credit and borrowing base facilities) to advance power procurement, provide credit backing for new transmission and generation projects, enable timely execution of large-scale campus buildouts, and support long-term cost management across its gigawatt-scale campuses (announcement dated April 21, 2026). The facility was arranged with a syndicate led as structuring banks and initial coordinating lead arrangers by BBVA and Natixis CIB, with Natixis CIB serving as administrative agent.
  • Background and deal details: The announcement notes Switch has raised over $24 billion in financing since 2024 and holds over $10 billion of revolving capital commitments to fund new development; other coordinating lead arrangers and joint bookrunners include BNP Paribas, Citibank N.A., Societe Generale, and joint lead arrangers include CIBC, Rabobank, RBC, Scotiabank, SMBC, with Standard Chartered as mandated lead arranger. Milbank LLP acted as legal counsel to Switch and Paul Hastings acted as lenders’ counsel. The company described the facility as the first of its kind in the data center industry and indicated the intent to upsize the facility as demand grows.
• Apr 14, 2026

  States are Struggling to Meet Their Clean Energy Goals. Data Centers are to Blame

  NV Energy warns it will need three times the electricity required to power Las Vegas to serve proposed data centers and may have to rely on fossil fuels, putting Nevada’s 50% renewable-by-2030 target at risk.

  • NV Energy warning & actions: NV Energy (which provides electricity to 90% of the state) says it will need three times the electricity required to power Las Vegas to handle proposed data centers and that it “probably can’t do that without fossil fuels.” The utility will require companies to fund their own infrastructure and sign contracts ensuring commitment before energy is built, and it plans to publish a report with more specifics by the end of the month. The situation mirrors broader industry moves (e.g., utilities delaying coal retirements or building gas plants; NextEra Energy dropped its zero-emissions-by-2045 goal citing the “demand for all forms of power generation”).

  • Background & related details: Some operators like Switch say they run on renewables and have built 1 gigawatt of solar and can self-supply at peak demand; environmental groups warn proposed centers would deploy hundreds of diesel backup generators that could worsen air quality and raise concerns about noise, water supply, and energy bills. Nevada’s volunteer funding model (companies fund clean energy development and count it toward corporate goals) produced a geothermal plant with Google as a partner; lawmakers are debating making such funding mandatory and the Public Utilities Commission may fine or grant exemptions if clean energy goals aren’t met.

• Apr 14, 2026

  XCF Global, Southern Energy Renewables and DevvStream Sign Definitive Business Combination Agreement with Respect to Previously Announced Proposed Three-Party Merger to Create Next-Generation Energy Platform

  XCF Global, Inc. has announced the execution of a definitive Business Combination Agreement with DevvStream Corp. and Southern Energy Renewables Inc. to form a combined, globally scalable energy transition platform.

  • Transaction announcement and structure: The parties executed a definitive Business Combination Agreement to merge XCF, DevvStream and Southern into a combined company; DevvStream will domesticate from Alberta to Delaware prior to closing, XCF will acquire 100% of DevvStream and Southern through merger subsidiaries, and post-closing ownership is expected to be ~66.7% XCF shareholders, 23.3% Southern shareholders, and 10.0% DevvStream shareholders. The transaction remains subject to shareholder approvals, SEC Form S-4 effectiveness, Nasdaq approvals, completion of financing, plant conversion, commercial milestones and fairness opinions.

  • Capital, milestones and assets: XCF has invested ~$10 million in conversion of the New Rise Reno facility (permitted nameplate 38 million gallons/year) to support SAF production; Southern is expected to pursue up to $400 million in bond financing for infrastructure; the combined company is targeting annualized fuel-related revenues > $1.0 billion and minimum annualized EBITDA of $100 million, and has an aspirational target of creating a $3.0 billion combined enterprise on a future date.

• Apr 14, 2026 · RMI

  Large Loads and System-Wide Transmission

  RMI outlines that large loads (including data centers) are driving system-wide transmission planning and provides three case studies (SPP, ERCOT Delaware Basin, NV Energy) illustrating best practices and phased approaches rather than announcing new projects.

  • Main announcement/action: RMI presents analysis and three case studies demonstrating how system-wide transmission planning can better accommodate rapid load growth versus piecemeal interconnection; it highlights SPP’s $19 billion portfolio (including >2,000 miles of 765 kV backbone) and the ERCOT Delaware Basin trigger stages with specific upgrade cost estimates and triggers tied to peak demand levels.
  • Background and details: The article is an analytical report (third in a series) that references existing regional plans and studies (SPP 2025 ITP, ERCOT Delaware Basin Load Integration Study, NV Energy Western Nevada and Apex Master Plans), provides timelines (e.g., NV Energy staged capacity additions through 2032), benefit-to-cost metrics (SPP portfolio BCRs of 9.4 and 5.7 across scenarios), and recommends scenario planning and phased/triggered investments to manage uncertainty.