The United States is pursuing an unprecedented effort to restart three decommissioned nuclear power facilities to supply the massive energy demands of artificial intelligence data centers, according to reports by TechRadar and the Los Angeles Times. Together, these projects aim to inject 2.25 gigawatts of electricity back into the grid, which is sufficient to power approximately two million homes and businesses. The Department of Energy is supporting the initiatives with up to $4.4 billion in federal loans.
Reviving Shuttered Nuclear Infrastructure
The three facilities designated for revival are the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan, the Crane Clean Energy Center in Pennsylvania, and the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa. TechRadar and the Los Angeles Times report that these sites previously closed prematurely because their power generation was deemed too expensive at the time. Palisades, owned by Holtec International, operated until 2022 and is targeting a restart by March 2027, though it experienced a brief pause in August after a fuel assembly tilted. The Crane facility on Three Mile Island is targeting a 2027 online date, while Duane Arnold in Iowa is aiming for 2029.
Big Tech Partnerships and Financing
Major technology companies have secured long-term power purchase agreements to obtain carbon-free electricity directly from these sites. Microsoft has contracted with Constellation Energy to draw power from the Crane facility, which involves a $1.6 billion restart effort backed in part by a $1 billion federal loan. Meanwhile, Google is collaborating with NextEra Energy to secure power from the Duane Arnold plant by early 2029. NextEra executives highlighted that these long-term contracts ensure data centers pay their own way rather than shifting costs onto residential ratepayers.
Balancing Energy Policy and Infrastructure Risks
The push to revive decommissioned nuclear infrastructure highlights a high-stakes convergence between expanding artificial intelligence capabilities and national energy policy. According to TechRadar and the Los Angeles Times, the strategy aligns with broader federal ambitions, including an executive order aimed at quadrupling U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050. Experts interviewed across both publications offer contrasting views on this approach. Nuclear engineering expert Todd Allen notes that restarting existing assets is significantly faster and cheaper than constructing new reactors, making it an attractive pathway for securing zero-carbon baseload power. However, critics raise significant concerns. Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists argues that taxpayer funds would be better directed toward addressing modern safety risks, noting that older facilities designed decades ago may face heightened vulnerabilities from severe weather and climate change. Similarly, Jack Spencer of the Heritage Foundation contends that federal financial backing is unnecessary for low-risk projects facing massive commercial demand, whereas supporters like Jennifer Gordon of the Atlantic Council view federal loans as an effective mechanism to accelerate necessary energy deployment. While the World Nuclear Association celebrates the technical achievement, it notes that preventing premature plant closures in the first place remains a more efficient long-term strategy.
Editorial graphic and headline text by Signal Titans.
Source: Three dormant US nuclear reactors are being restarted to power AI data centers · Three shuttered nuclear plants could soon power millions of homes — and AI data centers – Los Angeles Times
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