Geothermal Versus Small Modular Reactors as Firm Power for Datacenters

AI datacenters increasingly need firm, carbon-free baseload power, and the bottleneck to growth is now securing that electricity on a construction-matching schedule. Enhanced geothermal systems and small modular reactors are the two leading candidates, both offering steady output unlike intermittent solar and wind. Geothermal can be connected in roughly four years where the underlying rock is hot enough, and it can add capacity incrementally, while SMRs often need about a decade for licensing and first-of-a-kind construction. Geothermal is constrained by geography, since it requires hot rock at accessible depth, whereas SMRs can be sited almost anywhere because their fuel is transported. The article argues that the choice depends mainly on local geology and how long a project can wait, and it cites market estimates suggesting on-site firm power could become a multi-billion-dollar market over the next five to seven years.