Engineering undergrad’s first paper leads to national nuclear conference
As energy-hungry data AI centres increasingly need water to power and cool their systems, Gianluca Provenzano wondered: is a water-neutral solution possible? The idea came to him during a co-op placement at Ontario Power Generation (OPG) where he had begun to explore nuclear energy applications beyond traditional electricity supply. Drawing on his co-op experience working with large-scale energy systems, the industrial engineering student’s investigation led him to publish a peer-reviewed paper and present his findings at the 2026 Canadian Nuclear Society Annual Conference (CNS AnnCon).
A breakdown of the novel research
In his paper “Water Neutral AI with Nuclear Co-Generation,” Provenzano outlines a novel integrated energy system that uses a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) – a type of nuclear fission reactor – to provide the electricity and thermal energy an AI data centre requires. Waste heat produced by the centre can then be recovered and reused for the water desalination process using a multi effect distillation (MED) desalination. All of these processes, paired with AI, form a closed loop dual co-generation model. Using analysis and modelling techniques, Provenzano verified that the closed loop solution could significantly reduce the water losses of a data centre while maintaining efficient energy utilization that large-scale AI infrastructure demands.
What’s a closed loop system?
A closed loop system is any system designed to monitor itself and make adjustments in real-time to achieve specific performance goals.
Presenting on the national stage
In Calgary, Provenzano presented his novel research during the main technical session.
Provenzano’s paper captured the attention of the Canadian Nuclear Society, with an invitation to present at its annual conference in Calgary. “The opportunity to represent TMU and present my first-ever publication to a community of energy leaders was an incredible experience,” he said. At the conference, Provenzano had the opportunity to meet researchers from across the country and discuss the latest advancements in nuclear energy. Looking back at the milestone moment, he said, “The conference reinforced that when technical research and industry-scale applications come together, great things can happen.”
Provenzano taking in the conference with researchers and professionals from across Canada.
