Nuclear Scaling Initiative secures $3.5M to advance U.S. reactor orderbook. Funding from the Bezos Earth Fund will support the creation of an orderbook for new nuclear reactor builds in the United States. WASHINGTON - The Nuclear Scaling Initiative (NSI) today announced a $3.5 million philanthropic commitment from the Bezos Earth Fund to accelerate the responsible deployment of nuclear energy in the United States as a source of secure, clean, reliable power. The grant will directly support NSI's effort to facilitate an orderbook - a model that brings together multiple buyers to commit to building the same proven nuclear technology reactor design - for new large reactor builds of mature design in the United States. An orderbook is one of the solutions that NSI - a partnership between Clean Air Task Force, the EFI Foundation, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative - has developed to help address the challenges that have constrained nuclear energy deployment. At the core of NSI's approach is a commitment to pursuing development pathways and technologies that champion safety, security, and nonproliferation. An orderbook that supports construction of repeatable, standardized designs can reduce risk, lower costs over time, and provide greater certainty for developers, suppliers, and public partners - exactly what is needed as U.S. electricity demand is projected to grow by at least 50% by 2050, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. With the support of this grant, NSI will support a coordinated, multi-party process among federal, state, and commercial partners to assemble a viable orderbook. In other industries such as aviation, shipping and gas fired power, orderbooks have been instrumental in enabling manufacturers to scale production, reduce costs, and invest confidently in supply chains. By aggregating demand across multiple projects, the orderbook model enables shared learning, economies of scale and scope, and long-term supplier commitments that will lay the groundwork for fleet-scale deployment and a more predictable nuclear investment environment in the United States. "The United States needs repeat nuclear energy builds - not one-off projects - to bolster energy security, improve grid reliability, and drive economic competitiveness," said Steve Comello, executive director of NSI. "An orderbook can create the predictability needed to strengthen supply chains, grow a skilled workforce, and reduce the delays and cost overruns that have historically slowed progress. This approach can enable more efficient and responsible nuclear energy deployment. We're grateful to the Bezos Earth Fund for this generous contribution, which will allow NSI to significantly expand our work in the United States at a moment when responsible commercial nuclear energy deployment is critically needed." "The United States has a rare opportunity to turn rising energy demand into an advantage," said Tom Taylor, President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund. "Expanding nuclear power can deliver energy abundance - clean, reliable, around-the-clock electricity that supports prosperity and good jobs - while also helping meet climate goals in a small land footprint. Our support for NSI is a targeted bet that smart coordination can unlock much larger public and private investment and turn this first reactor package into a model for many more." Electricity demand in the United States is expected to rise significantly over the coming decades, driven by factors including data centers, the growing electrification of industry, and everyday energy needs like heating, cooling, and transportation. Meeting this growth while maintaining grid reliability and reducing emissions will require a diverse mix of clean energy resources, including sources that can provide firm, around-the-clock power. Multiple countries have shown that it is possible to scale nuclear energy by doing the same thing again and again: standardizing designs, committing to repeat construction, and driving costs down over time. The orderbook approach aims to help the United States regain that competitive edge - moving from one-off projects to now a repeatable model that proves nuclear can be built efficiently, affordably, and at scale. About the Nuclear Scaling Initiative The Nuclear Scaling Initiative is a collaborative effort of Clean Air Task Force, the EFI Foundation, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative to build a new nuclear energy ecosystem that can quickly and economically scale to 50+ gigawatts of safe and secure nuclear energy globally per year by the 2030s. NSI's plan for revolutionizing how nuclear energy is constructed, financed, and regulated will advance climate goals, spark economic development, expand energy access, and ensure that nuclear technology is used for only peaceful purposes. Learn more at www.nuclearscaling.org. The Bezos Earth Fund is helping transform the fight against climate change with the largest ever philanthropic commitment to climate and nature protection. Jeff Bezos has committed $10 billion to protect nature and address climate change. By providing funding and expertise, Nuclear Threat Initiative, Inc partner with organizations to accelerate innovation, break down barriers to success, and create a more equitable and sustainable world. Join Nuclear Threat Initiative, Inc in its mission to create a world where people prosper in harmony with nature. To learn more about the Bezos Earth Fund, visit: bezosearthfund.org.

South African university wins $1.8 million from Jeff Bezos. * The University of Witwatersrand has received $1.8 million from the Jeff Bezos Earth Fund to advance its AI-based climate and weather forecasting research. * The Wits Climate Risk Modelling Project aims to improve medium-range forecasts across Africa, supporting sectors like agriculture and disaster management. * It is the third major grant Wits has won for its AI research this year, highlighting its leadership in the space in Africa. The University of Witwatersrand has won $1.8 billion in grant funding from the Jeff Bezos Earth Fund. It is one of fifteen institutions around the world to be awarded the amount as part of the second stage of the fund's AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge. "This award enables us to push the boundaries of how artificial intelligence and local data can transform weather forecasting in Africa" said project lead, Professor Rendani Mbuvha from the Wits School of Statistics and Actuarial Science, which was awarded the $1.8 million, or R31.2 million. It is the second such award it has received from the Bezos Earth Fund. The first was awarded in May 2025, when it received R925 000 from the fund in a Phase 1 grant for the same initiative, the Wits Climate Risk Modelling Project which uses cutting edge machine learning and AI-based weather modelling to enhance medium-range weather forecasts across Africa. The project partners with national meteorological and hydrological services on the continent as well as AfricClimate AI, explained as a "a grassroots research community at the intersection of AI and climate science to co-develop AI-based medium-range forecasting systems tailored to local contexts." Wits Climate Risk Modelling Project aims to enhance the accuracy and relevance of forecasts across the region, directly supporting key sectors such as agriculture and disaster management, especially for remote regions that lack access to meteorological technology since the project is made for accessibility and ease of scale. Wits was the only African institution in this second phase of grant winners, which includes a number of American institutions and Ivy League schools, including Yale and Cornell Universities. "Through our partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund, we are developing locally grounded, high-resolution weather forecasting models that not only advance scientific frontiers but also deliver real impact for communities and decision-makers across sub-Saharan Africa," added Mbuvha. It is the third in order of major grants Wits has received for its AI research. In September, the Wits MIND institute, which focuses on AI theory and how it interacts with African society, won a $1 million grant from Google. The grant is itself part of a further $37 million Google pledged to aid in AI tech research across Africa. "These projects show how AI, when developed responsibly and guided by science and local knowledge, can strengthen environmental action and ensure its overall impact on the planet is positive," said Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki, director of AI and Data Strategies at the Bezos Earth Fund.

Angus Genetics Inc. to lead North American data collection for $4.85 million research grant from the Bezos Earth Fund and Global Methane Hub.