The agreement with Kairos Power aims to bring the first reactor online this decade, with additional reactors set to be operational by 2035.

No details have been provided regarding the value of the deal or the locations of the planned reactors.

It's another sign that as the tech industry faces increasing demand for electricity, nuclear power is emerging as a clean, reliable solution to fuel energy-intensive AI operations.

Michael Terrell, Google's senior director for energy and climate said: "The grid needs new electricity sources to support AI technologies.

"This agreement helps accelerate a new technology to meet energy needs cleanly and reliably, and unlock the full potential of AI for everyone."

Kairos Power, a California-based startup, specialises in advanced nuclear reactors that use molten fluoride salt as a coolant, a departure from traditional water-cooled reactors.

Kairos executive Jeff Olson described the partnership with Google as crucial in "accelerating the commercialisation of advanced nuclear energy", which he hailed as the key to "decarbonising power grids".

While the deal requires approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and local agencies, it represents a growing trend among tech companies turning to nuclear energy to power their data centres.

Nuclear energy, which produces minimal carbon emissions and operates continuously, is seen as a vital resource as global energy consumption from data centres is expected to more than double by 2030, according to Goldman Sachs.

But nuclear power remains controversial, with critics pointing to the risks of accidents and the production of radioactive waste.

Microsoft last month reached a deal to restart operations at the notorious Three Mile Island plant, while Amazon has announced plans to power a data centre using nuclear energy in Pennsylvania.