Fri Sep 20 13:05:52 UTC 2024: ## Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant to Reopen, Powering Microsoft’s AI Ambitions
**Harrisburg, PA** – The infamous Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, site of the worst nuclear disaster in U.S. history, is set to reopen in 2028, with its sole customer being tech giant Microsoft. The move comes as the company seeks clean energy sources to fuel its burgeoning AI ambitions.
Constellation Energy announced Friday that its Unit 1 reactor, which closed five years ago, will be revived, pending Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval. Microsoft has signed a 20-year agreement to purchase the carbon-free energy generated by the plant, which will power its data centers supporting artificial intelligence.
The agreement, described as Constellation’s largest ever, marks a significant shift towards nuclear energy as a reliable source of zero-carbon power. Nuclear power plants are able to generate electricity consistently, unlike wind and solar sources. However, the technology has faced criticism from environmental groups for decades due to its radioactive waste, which remains a challenge for disposal.
The reopening of Unit 1 is expected to create 3,400 direct and indirect jobs and add 800 megawatts of electricity to the grid, boosting Pennsylvania’s GDP by $16 billion.
The deal is largely enabled by the Biden administration’s climate bill, which includes billions in tax credits for clean energy sources, including nuclear, wind, solar, and clean hydrogen. The government has also invested heavily in preventing the closure of aging nuclear plants.
While restarting a shuttered nuclear plant like Three Mile Island is not a common occurrence in the U.S., experts are seeing increasing interest in nuclear energy, particularly from tech companies.
“When you’re talking about expanded power needs from artificial intelligence, data centers needing to run basically at full capacity for 24 hours a day. There’s not a lot of alternatives outside of nuclear,” said Alan Ahn, deputy director for nuclear at the climate and energy program of the think tank Third Way.
Microsoft’s agreement with Constellation highlights the company’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality. “This agreement is a major milestone in Microsoft’s efforts to help decarbonize the grid in support of our commitment to become carbon negative,” said Bobby Hollis, vice president of energy for Microsoft.
Following the announcement, Constellation Energy’s stock price jumped over 16% in midday trading.
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