Data Center Signal is tracking 12 clips about Constellation data center developments across 3 states, including IL, MD, PA.
The United States is supporting efforts to restart three shuttered nuclear plants in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Iowa to meet rising electricity demand, including demand from data centers. The federal government is offering up to $4.4 billion in financing, and two of the plants have contracts to supply data centers.
The United States is pursuing the unprecedented restart of three shuttered nuclear power plants to meet rising electricity demand, including demand from large data centers. One featured facility is Constellation's Crane Clean Energy Center at the former Three Mile Island site near Middletown, Pennsylvania.
Governors from states in the PJM electricity region created the PJM Governors' Collaborative to coordinate on energy costs, transmission planning and grid reliability. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker cited rapidly growing data center demand as a threat to future reliability and promoted nuclear generation and proposed requirements for new data centers to add power capacity.
Amazon and Constellation announced a 20-year agreement to support more than $3 billion in investments and an additional 190 megawatts of generation at the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in Lusby, Maryland. The deal is intended to secure carbon-free power and grid capacity amid rising electricity demand from data centers and AI operations.
Amazon agreed to purchase 690 megawatts of electricity from Constellation's Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant under a 20-year deal that will support a planned $3 billion investment and potential relicensing. The agreement does not include a data center at the plant, but it has raised concerns among Calvert County residents and officials following opposition to Amazon's withdrawn data center proposal and the county's six-month moratorium on data center approvals.
Amazon abandoned its plan to build a large data center campus near Constellation Energy's nuclear power plant in Lusby, Calvert County, Maryland. This reversal followed intense local opposition and the ousting of three incumbent county commissioners who had opposed data center moratoriums. The county commission is now set to consider a six-month data center moratorium.
Amazon Web Services has withdrawn its plans for data centers at Calvert Cliffs in Calvert County, Maryland, following significant voter opposition in recent primary elections that led to the ousting of commissioners. Calvert County will now host a public meeting to consider a temporary six-month moratorium on data center site plan approvals to allow for review of regulations and zoning changes.
Constellation Energy acquired 700 acres of land in and around Essex, Illinois, near its Braidwood Clean Energy Center, prompting residents to fear a data center development. An Essex Coalition is proposing new industrial zoning ordinances to the Village Board to mitigate potential impacts like noise and water usage. The Village Board has also issued a formal notice regarding development standards for a proposed data center.
Calvert County Commissioners adopted their FY2027 budget and continued discussions regarding a proposed data center moratorium. Public concern remains high over data center development, with residents raising environmental, zoning, and quality of life issues, and a petition gaining significant signatures. Commissioners voted to place a public hearing on the proposed moratorium on a future agenda.
The surge in AI demand is increasing data center construction costs and power consumption. In response, Constellation is investing $800 million to upgrade its Braidwood and Byron nuclear plants in Illinois, adding 158 megawatts to the grid by 2029. This initiative is part of a broader discussion among utilities and environmental groups on how best to meet the state's growing energy needs.
Constellation has launched upgrades at Illinois' largest nuclear power plant in Braceville to address the increasing demand for electricity from data centers. The Braidwood Lake plant's massive turbines can pull 100,000 gallons of water a minute to support operations.
Constellation is investing $800 million to upgrade its nuclear power plants in Illinois, specifically Braidwood and Byron, to meet rising electricity demand driven by data centers. This initiative aligns with recent state government actions, including lifting a moratorium on new nuclear plant construction and executive orders to accelerate nuclear generation. Other utilities and environmental groups weigh in on the state's energy strategy, emphasizing grid reliability and the role of both nuclear and renewable sources.