Jamie Bennet 
- Amentum has been selected by the NNSA to enter into negotiations for the Savannah River Site Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure and Energy Generation Project
- The goal of the project is to lease federal land for the building of AI and power generation infrastructure
- Following successful negotiations, Amentum will work with NNSA to construct a 1-gigawatt AI data center and an on-site 2-gigawatt energy generation capability that will supply the data center’s electricity needs
Amentum said Monday that it has been selected by the National Nuclear Security Administration for the Savannah River Site Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure and Energy Generation Project. The public-private project is being carried out in support of the federal government’s agenda of ensuring U.S. leadership in AI and the lowering of energy costs through the leasing of federal land for the building of AI and power infrastructure.
The Savannah River Site in South Carolina is one of four locations selected out of an initial 16 federal sites to move forward with the effort. At SRS, NNSA has identified 10 tracts of land for the infrastructure project.
What Will Amentum Do for the AI and Energy Infrastructure Project?
In light of its selection, Amentum will now enter negotiations for a phased lease agreement under which it would work with the NNSA to construct a 1-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center to be supported by an on-site 2-gigawatt energy generation capability powered initially by natural gas but subsequently bridging to nuclear. Pairing the data center with a dedicated on-site energy generation capability aims to ensure that the project receives the electricity it needs without impacting the customers of existing utilities.
The final lease agreement will be determined by the success of the negotiations as well as compliance with relevant safety and security evaluations, permitting requirements and various federal approvals.
What Did NNSA’s and Amentum’s Leaders Say About the Potential Agreement?
Commenting on the project, NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams said, “This proposed partnership represents an opportunity to strengthen America’s leadership in artificial intelligence, expand reliable energy generation, and strengthen our national security. By working with the private sector, we can move faster, apply innovative technologies, and make productive use of federal land while maintaining our commitment to mission delivery.”
For his part, Amentum CEO John Heller said, “Artificial intelligence, energy resilience, and national security are becoming increasingly interconnected, creating new opportunities to strengthen America’s strategic advantage. Amentum is uniquely positioned at that intersection, combining deep engineering expertise, trusted mission execution, and decades of partnership with the U.S. government.”
“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,” added the 10-time winner of the Wash100 Award.
