Nuclear energy to power data centers in Ohio, Pa.
Four nuclear power plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania are being restarted or extending operations to provide dedicated energy for artificial intelligence data centers. These projects involve major power purchase agreements with companies like Microsoft and Meta, aiming to supply consistent, clean energy for the growing demand. The initiatives have garnered significant government support at both federal and state levels.
The United States is experiencing a "nuclear renaissance" driven by the increasing energy demands of artificial intelligence data centers, leading to the restart or extended operation of four nuclear power plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania. These data centers require consistent, reliable, and often clean, round-the-clock energy, which nuclear power plants are uniquely positioned to provide, according to energy consultant Mark Frye, president of Palmer Energy. Both the Biden and former Trump administrations have expressed support for expanding domestic nuclear energy production to meet these demands.
In Pennsylvania, Constellation Energy signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Microsoft in September 2024 to restart Three Mile Island Unit 1, which had been shut down five years prior for economic reasons. The reactor, located in Middletown, is expected to be operational by 2028 after significant upgrades, financed in part by a $1 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy. Constellation Energy is awaiting approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the restart.
Similarly, Texas-based Vistra Corp. entered a 20-year PPA with Meta in January to power its data centers from three nuclear power plants: the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak Harbor, Ohio; the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Perry, Ohio; and the Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pennsylvania. These plants, all previously slated for retirement, will collectively produce 2,600 megawatts, with the majority designated for Meta. Additionally, Meta has partnered with advanced nuclear energy company Oklo to develop a 1.2-gigawatt power campus at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Piketon, Ohio, to power Meta's Prometheus AI data center supercluster in New Albany, Ohio, set to launch this year.
The restart of these nuclear plants has received broad support from state and federal officials, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and legislators like Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), and Ohio state Rep. Adam Holmes (R-Nashport). Urvi Parekh, head of global energy at Meta, highlighted that these investments ensure clean, reliable power essential for advancing AI ambitions and strengthening American leadership in energy innovation.