DOE’s AI imagination goes off the rails: You may have seen that entities outside of South Carolina and apparently in DOE’s HQ, without consulting the public, made the following announcement on July 20, 2026: “NNSA Selects Amentum for AI Data Center and Energy Project at Savannah River Site.”
No further details were released on July 20 and, remarkably, nothing has been released since as the goal seems to be to leave the public in the dark about this scheme. We do know that nobody in South Carolina is speaking up for this speculative “project,” which would involve both natural gas and, eventually, an imaginary “advanced reactor” (exists only on paper now). None of the generated power would be allowed into the commercial electric grid.
Lacking any openness on the part of DOE, SRS Watch submitted to DOE/NNSA a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on Sept. 7, 2026, via the DOE’s FOIA website…
https://www.foia.gov/request/agency-component/da51148e-4f28-4b95-9a75-cbd50e6ad2bf/
…. in an attempt to find out what type of contract that DOE had entered into with the company Amentum. DOE has not voluntarily released such information. We await a prompt response to the request, which the citizenry of South Carolina must be informed about. You may want to submit your own FOIA request at the DOE FOIA website link above – feel free to copy our request:
I am hereby filing this FOIA request on behalf of Savannah River Site Watch (SRS Watch), a duly registered non-profit organization engaged in research and education related to the Savannah River Site and the Department of Energy.
As this request is being filed in the public interest and will be used in a non-commercial, not-for-profit manner to publicly explain with the public, the media and public officials the role of DOE, I request a waiver of fees associated with this request. Further, the information obtained will likely contribute significantly to public understanding in South Carolina of the process involved with selection and operation of any AI data center at SRS.
Additionally, I request that if any portion of the documents are redacted that there be a full explanation as to what FOIA exemptions apply to such redactions.
I hereby request two sets of documents related to DOE choosing the company Amentum in July 2026 “to enter negotiations for a phased lease to develop an artificial intelligence data center and dedicated on-site energy generation source at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.”
1. Any ‘contracts’ or agreements, formal or informal, between DOE and the private company Amentum to develop an AI data center at SRS, or to find other companies to do so, and,
2. Amentum’s “Request for Proposal” (RFP) submission to DOE in response to DOE’s solicitation on SAM. gov of September 30, 2025 for “Request for Proposals: Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure and Energy Generation on DOE Land at Savannah River Site.”
I request that documents be provided as they become available.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this request, which will be of high interest to the people of South Carolina.
Sincerely,
Tom Clements
Director, Savannah River Site Watch
Columbia, SC
www.srswatch.org
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Image: DOE’s imagination at work as to its view of the inner workings of a AI data center