Constellation Energy Corp. announced a 20-year deal with Microsoft to supply regional data centers with power from what it described as a $1.6 billion renovation and restart of the Unit 1 reactor at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant near Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, which was closed. in 2019 “for financial reasons,” after 20 years of operation, said the company’s CEO, Joe Domínguez.
The unit is adjacent to but not connected to the plant’s Unit 2, which was closed in 1979 after a near-merger and is being decommissioned by its new owner, Energy Solutions. A restart of Unit 1, now known as the Crane Clean Energy Center, would be the first such restart of a shuttered US nuclear plant if the plan, announced on September 20, is approved by the Federal Regulatory Commission Nuclear
Constellation, which told media it had not yet applied to the agency for a restart permit, said it would also seek license renewal to extend the plant’s operations at least until 2054.
It is also seeking approval to restart, as early as late 2025, Michigan’s Palisades nuclear reactor, owned by operator Holtec since 2022. According to the company, the effort had secured a conditional federal loan guarantee of ‘1.52 trillion dollars in March.
The renovated Three Mile Island unit, which will be operational in 2028, would add 835 MW of power over 20 years to the area grid operated by PJM Interconnection. to match the power used by Microsoft’s data centers.
The reactivation process will require “significant investments” in the Unit 2 plant systems, including the turbine, generator, main power transformer and cooling and control systems, Constellation said.
A A company spokesperson did not respond to ENR by the time of publication to confirm the status of the project’s engineering and construction support hiring.
“Microsoft continues to work with energy providers to develop carbon-free energy sources to help meet the capacity and reliability needs of networks,” said Bobby Hollis, vice president of energy at Microsoft.
Constellation did not disclose the financial details of the Microsoft deal, however according to The Washington Postwho said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm had previously estimated that the incentives could cut those costs by as much as half.
Constellation touted a regional study sponsored by the construction trades that said the restart would create 3,400 direct and indirect jobs and generate major regional economic benefits, and said $1 million has been committed over the next five years to support regional workforce development and other community investments.
.
