Meta Enters 20-Year Agreement with Nuclear Plant to Energize AI and Data Centers
On Tuesday, Meta announced an agreement to keep a nuclear reactor operated by Constellation Energy, a utility company in Illinois, running for an additional 20 years. This marks Meta’s first partnership with a nuclear power facility. As demand for electricity rises in the U.S., driven in part by the requirements of artificial intelligence and data centers, other major tech firms are also securing their energy supplies. For instance, Google has arranged to source nuclear energy for its data centers through several small reactors from a California utility, while Microsoft plans to reactivate the Three Mile Island plant—site of the most serious nuclear incident in U.S. history—to facilitate its AI operations.
The state of Illinois supports Constellation Energy’s operations at the Clinton Clean Energy Center through a zero-emissions credit program funded by ratepayers, which incentivizes the production of electricity with minimal carbon emissions. This program is set to expire in 2027. At that time, Meta’s power purchase agreement will provide undisclosed financial support to assist with the plant’s relicensing and operational costs.
The agreement enables Constellation to increase the capacity of the Clinton plant, which currently generates 1,121 megawatts, by an additional 30 megawatts. This facility supplies power to approximately 800,000 homes across the U.S. Clinton began operations in 1987, and last year, Constellation filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend its operational license through 2047.
This development could pave the way for other large tech companies to invest in existing nuclear facilities while also exploring new nuclear and alternative energy sources for their data centers. Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of global energy, commented, “Utilities have expressed a strong desire for assured operation of their current power plants.” Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation, mentioned that discussions are underway with various clients nationwide, similar to Meta’s initiative, to provide the necessary support for relicensing and operational stability.
Bobby Wendell, a representative from a unit of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, noted that this agreement promises a “stable work environment” for the employees at the plant.
