gaming

Valar Atomics powers NVIDIA DGX Spark with helium-cooled microreactor

Valar Atomics ran its Ward 250 high-temperature gas-cooled microreactor to power an NVIDIA DGX Spark in a public demo. The Ward 250 uses helium coolant and a compact thermoelectric generator instead of steam-driven turbines. The event, done with Nvidia, is largely symbolic but highlights nuclear microreactors as a potential option for rising AI datacenter energy needs.

• Ward 250 is an HTGR microreactor using helium and thermoelectric generation
• Demo powered an NVIDIA DGX Spark (GB20) in partnership with Nvidia
• Test is symbolic — DGX hardware does not require reactor-scale power
• HTGRs offer efficiency and safety advantages but face cost and material challenges