Energy demand from data centers, manufacturing, and hydrogen production is rising at a staggering rate. In the United States alone, data centers could consume up to 17% of all electricity by 2030.
Industrial facilities require energy sources with highly reliable output, predictable costs, and low-carbon emissions. The traditional power grid often struggles to deliver on all these fronts, leading to an increasing interest in behind-the-meter generation.
Behind-the-meter generation refers to electricity produced at or near the exact point of consumption. The power connects directly to a specific facility instead of passing through public utility transmission lines.
Companies currently use several technologies for this purpose. Common solutions include combined-cycle natural gas, solar paired with battery storage, and cogeneration plants. NuScale’s small modular reactors (SMRs) are the only nuclear technology approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to operate behind the meter.
The benefits of generating power at the source are immense. Facilities gain unmatched reliability and energy security. They can achieve long-term cost predictability and make significant strides in decarbonization with the right solution. Companies increasingly pursue these onsite generation systems to ensure their operations never face interruptions and to build a strong hedge against grid instability.
Industrial leaders realize that relying solely on traditional utility networks can pose business risks.
Expanding transmission infrastructure happens very slowly. Getting a new power plant connected to the broader grid can take several years. Thousands of generation and storage projects are currently stuck waiting in interconnection queues across the country. Large industrial operations cannot afford to wait years for local grid upgrades to supply their new loads. This massive backlog makes localized, dedicated power generation highly attractive.
Extreme weather events and system stress continuously threaten traditional grids. Grid operators across North America warn that reliability margins are shrinking fast. Additionally, rapid electrification and unpredictable AI computing demands increase peak load volatility. Facilities running critical operations need assurance that the lights will stay on regardless of what happens to the regional power network.
Heavy industries require highly predictable energy costs to remain profitable and competitive. Natural gas price volatility remains a constant threat due to complex geopolitics and unforeseen supply chain disruptions. Generating power right outside the facility doors allows companies to lock in their energy expenses for decades.
Artificial intelligence workloads require massive computing infrastructure. This translates directly into extreme power density requirements. A single hyperscale data center campus might need anywhere from 200 to 500 megawatts of constant power. New AI computing clusters planned for the near future could easily exceed one gigawatt per campus.
Data center operators prioritize flawless uptime, demanding 99.999 percent reliability. They also face intense pressure to use low-carbon electricity, deploy new sites rapidly, and maintain total energy independence. Meeting these strict requirements through traditional utility connections is becoming increasingly challenging.
Beyond the tech sector, traditional heavy industry is making a similar pivot. Energy-intensive sectors like steel production, mining, chemical manufacturing, and semiconductor fabrication need immense amounts of power. These industries require constant baseload electricity and reliable process heat to run their operations.
Industrial companies are actively exploring dedicated clean power to support strict corporate decarbonization goals. Advanced microgrid systems, hydrogen production setups, and local generation plants are currently under review to power major steel manufacturing hubs and chemical plants.
Advanced nuclear technologies like the NuScale Power Module™ (NPM) are rapidly becoming the preferred choice for large industrial power loads. Our small modular reactors provide carbon-free baseload power around the clock. They offer the highest reliability rates of any generation source, boast a very small physical footprint, and feature long fuel cycles.
NuScale’s SMR technology perfectly aligns with complex industrial needs. Plants scale easily to match facility growth and can provide electricity, process heat, and hydrogen production simultaneously. Most importantly, NuScale small modular reactors are the only nuclear technology approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to operate off grid as a result of their innovative passive safety systems. NPMs can shut down and self-cool indefinitely with no operator action, no AC or DC power, and no additional water. This makes NuScale the ultimate solution for safe, localized industrial power.
The rapidly evolving energy landscape creates significant opportunities for innovative energy developers. Companies that can deliver scalable power, reliable baseload generation, and low-carbon electricity will be well positioned to support the next wave of industrial growth. Developers must also offer flexible ownership and deployment models to effectively meet rising industrial demand. ENTRA1 Energy addresses these needs by developing and delivering ENTRA1 Energy Plants with NuScale SMRs designed to provide reliable, scalable, and carbon-free power for mission-critical infrastructure.
Electricity demand from data centers and industrial electrification will continue to grow rapidly. At the same time, grid constraints are forcing companies to rethink how they procure and manage energy.
Behind-the-meter generation offers the reliability, cost predictability, and decarbonization that modern industries require. NuScale small modular reactors are well positioned to provide clean, scalable power for these energy-intensive operations.