In a historic move, Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant, the site of the worst nuclear accident in US history, is set to reopen as part of a 20-year agreement between Constellation Energy and Microsoft.
The deal will supply the tech giant with carbon-free power to support its growing artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
Under the agreement, Constellation will restart the undamaged Unit 1 reactor, which was closed in 2019 due to financial challenges, with a planned investment of $1.6 billion. The power generated from the reactor will be used to fuel Microsoft’s AI data centers across the US northeast. If approved, the reactor is expected to be operational by 2028, helping to meet the increasing energy demands driven by AI development.
The move highlights the energy challenges faced by tech companies as they seek reliable and carbon-free electricity for massive data centers. Microsoft’s vice president of energy, Bobby Hollis, called the agreement a major step in the company’s efforts to decarbonize the grid.
Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation, emphasized the significance of this clean energy deal, calling it crucial for future energy needs. The 835-megawatt reactor could generate enough electricity to power about 800,000 homes.
The Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg contributed to this report.
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