The QTS Experience
The QTS Experience
Dave McCall
Ep 238: Dan Golding: SMRs, Fusion, and Why Your Data Center is Just a Cold White Box
41 minutes Posted Jan 8, 2026 at 2:00 pm.
Intro and the Power Demand ”Hockey Stick”
Utility Power vs. On-Site Generation Strategies
The Future Energy Mix: SMRs, Fusion, and Batteries
Investor Realities: Releasing Risk and Multi-Tenant Flexibility
Ripping Up the Standardized ”Sausage Machine” Design
Site Selection: Why We Ignored the Old Rules
Cooling 600kW Racks: GPUs and Latency Limits
Safety First: The Risks of Next-Gen Refrigerants
0:00
41:26
Download MP3
Show notes
I’m joined by Dan Golding to tear down the old rules of data center design. We explore the nuclear renaissance, why the fiber-to-power trifecta is non-negotiable, and why 600kW racks might require you to wear a face shield. It's time to stop resting on our laurels.
 
External References & Links
Idaho National Lab (INL): Referenced in transcript as "Gaidu National Lab" regarding SMR scale calculations. https://inl.gov/
Commonwealth Fusion Systems: Mentioned regarding Google’s power purchase agreement for the first plant in Virginia. https://cfs.energy/
Nvidia: Referenced regarding the 600kW rack roadmap. https://www.nvidia.com/
Open Compute Project (OCP): Mentioned regarding upcoming discussions on cooling infrastructure. https://www.opencompute.org/
Guest Connections
Guest: Dan Golding, CTO and Apple/Google Veteran.
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgolding/